When Choosing a Dance Teacher, Does Gender Matter?

Choosing the right dance instructor is an important and personal decision that includes a variety of factors, from personality to the price of the lesson. But how important is the gender of the instructor? While a good dance instructor will be able to teach both the male and female parts of a dance, there's something to be said for the biological advantage of being born a man or woman. The truth is, male instructors generally do have certain advantages over female instructors (and vice versa!). Here are five things to consider in the ballet of the sexes:

1. Feminine Styling If you want to learn the subtle movements that enhance a woman's natural, sensual grace, it's best to go to the source. Female instructors can often give female students tips on both appearance (clothing, hair styles) and tricks for dancing with a feminine flair.

2. Dips Your male instructor can teach you how to dip a female partner, but he may not be receptive to being dipped himself. The problem of "Who dips whom?" also exists for female students and female instructors. This is an example where a regular dance partner can be invaluable in putting your lessons into practice.

3. Heels Here's a case where it really helps to have walked in the other person's shoes. Female dance instructors understand firsthand the difficulty of dancing in heels, and can offer helpful advice on how to execute complex dance moves in less-than-friendly footwear.

4. Moves One of the advantages of having a personal dance instructor is the ability to learn and, later, mimic their moves. Because no two dancers dance exactly alike, studying with an instructor of the same sex gives you an up-close opportunity to study tricks that may have taken a lifetime to learn and incorporate them into your own interpretations.

5. Body Men and women are built differently, with different muscles and unique physical abilities as well as limitations. Studying with an instructor who shares the same physical characteristics can help you better learn to balance your body, address endurance issues and find a conditioning routine that works best for your body.

Of course, for many dance students the question of "Should I choose a male or female instructor?" is answered with another question: Why can't I have both? Interspersing your regular lessons with an instructor of a different sex (whether it's the same or opposite sex) can provide the perfect balance for dance study and help you become a better, more understanding partner as well.