Thread: What Makes Someone Qualified To Teach?

The subject of being 'qualified' to teach is an interesting one and I agree with much of what's been said here, however, as an ex-schoolteacher with a decade in the classroom behind me, I like to think I approach the subject with a degree of understanding.

In short, being qualified to teach means having a teaching qualification. Teaching isn't just about getting in front of a group of people and telling them what to do. Even a short workshop should have some kind of lesson plan that structures the learning and gives students the opportunity to consolidate and demonstrate what they have learned. You can have years of stage experience and still not know how to teach and yes, I have trained with a few people that fall into that category.

The other thing to say is that a student will automatically feel safer, more trusting of the teacher and thus more open to learning, knowing their teacher is qualified. Knowing how to look after your students' bodies is very important when learning physical skills, and insurance, first aid qualifications, music licenses all demonstrate that you know your stuff and are serious about what you do. Whether it's a PGCE, ETM or whatever, qualifications do matter as far as I'm concerned and do demonstrate professionalism.

Good teachers are focused on delivering learning and making sure students leave feeling that they have learned something and feeling positive about the experience. Good teachers will also be sensitive to individuals, giving feedback and praise, reining people in when necessary and ensuring everyone is safe and happy.

And yes, many people with lots of experience of a subject can do all that, too, but doing a thing and teaching a thing are very different skills and it does piss me off when people don't credit the skill it takes to teach well.

Ultimately, the professionalising of any industry will at some point involve formalising the teaching of it, and the setting of a curriculum - look at dance and gymnastics. What is interesting about burlesque is its diversity, variety and its own uncertainty about what it is - ask a dozen people and you'll probably get a dozen answers. How burlesque handles this will be interesting - the pole dance industry is negotiating the same territory at the moment and a site called the Pole Dance Community has started an accreditation and rating system. So far, this seems to be going well.

Now, the other issue that seems to run through this thread is the idea that you need to 'earn your stage stripes' before you can teach. I agree with that in some measure, but I think it really depends what you are offering. As a teacher, you should be fit to teach the subject, and realistically, not everyone is looking for the same thing.

Teaching a hen party, teaching a workshop and offering professional training are very different things. The majority of people who attend parties and workshops do so for a laugh, to learn something new, or just to celebrate an occasion with a group of friends. This is not professional development or training; they do not wish to set foot on stage. Thus, does it really matter if the teacher has a minimum of three years stage experience? Surely, what matters more is that the teacher can deliver what the students have paid for - an enjoyable, safe, learning experience.

Those seeking professional development, or who wish to embark on a burlesque career are looking for something different. I recently spent four days with a world-class performer working on an act because professional development is important to me. I knew what I wanted and I knew who was the right person to deliver that. And to be honest, I think anyone who is serious about learning burlesque would do their homework and sign up for training with someone with the credentials to deliver.

Those credentials, in my view, are both stage experience - you have to know a thing to teach a thing - and teaching experience - you have to know how to teach a thing to teach a thing. And to be honest, a good teacher, (and hopefully a good performer) will know their limits and stick to them. Personally, I am happy teaching workshops and hen parties but I would be hesitant to set myself up as someone who could make you stage-ready at this point in my career. And yes there are unscrupulous people out there - a woman recently set up a 'burlesque academy' in my town after attending a weekend workshop and is now proudly offering a six-week course that seems to cover what I'd cover in a 90-minute workshop, as well as 'masterclasses'. She has never performed burlesque professionally, but is an aerobics instructor. Sure, it annoyed me at first, but I quickly realised, anyone who knows anything about burlesque will not be taken in by this nonsense, and those who are will also soon realise the paucity of it and word gets around.

Gosh. That turned into a very long post! Sorry!

Glory x

wow! What a long and interesting thread. Sorry to bring it back to life just for the sake of my penny's worth!

I am a trained balled dancer and I wouldn't dream of being taught by a school/teacher that wasn't RAD or ISTD approved. Shame there aren't the same regulations for burlesque. I agree that there are too many people who think that all it takes is some Dutch Courage to be a burlesque dancer and there are too many unqualified teachers and thrifty club managers who reaffirm that.

I would advise anyone wanting to perform burlesque to master some skills of their own first; singing, ballet, tap, belly dance, circus skill etc. and learn these from licensed professionals. Then watch your favourite performers (both current and old). Research the history of burlesque and neo-burlesque and develop a real knowledge and passion for it.

If you take a burlesque class don't be afraid to ask for proof of your teacher's credentials, research them thoroughly; if they only have a badly designed website and myspace page and nobody else has heard of them then they probably don't have the experience necessary to teach.

RR x

It seems to me as if there are a million workshops on how to shimmy, and nothing on how to actually create a character and engage an audience. If you want this you have to go for an acting class; but there is nothing with a burlesque emphasis.

Today I did a workshop at the Comedy School in London with Mick Barnfather of Theatre de Complicite. For me clowning is the closest one can get to burlesque - audience connection and the idea of failure. He was an inspiring teacher, and I would urge all burlesque perfomers to find their clown persona!

I wish someone would fill this gap in the market.

Jeu Jeu xx

Maybe it is because of the amount of amateurs running workshops but I am sick of seeing adverts promising to turn every Tom, Dick and Harriet into a star overnight. What happened to putting time into research and blood, sweat and tears polishing your act? So many people expect to turn up to a class, get told what to do and then skip off to the high street to get some stockings and a boa.

Sorry for the rant. I just feel bad for the performers who work their butts off to better their art form having it sullied by people looking to make a quick buck or be famous.

I myself am always promising to start performing but I know I'm just not up to scratch yet. I don't have the time, money or energy to devote to it and no teacher fresh out of college can substitute all that hard work.

EDIT: I'm also worried that I my not have the talent for burlesque. Another thing your average lesson can not provide. They could teach me how to stand and how to shimmy but they can't teach me how to have that Je ne c'est quoi. what's that old saying? "You can't polish a turd"