Training Crew (taxi dancers & demos)

[Gus]

Another conversation late at night after too many beers .......

Training taxi dancers .... does anyone actualy do it or are the poor sheep just left to fend for themsleves? If they ARE trained ... in what Customer relations, how to coach, how to spin, how to NOT rip the head of beginners who are phsycotic yankers?

[Jive Brummie]

Training of Taxi dancers and demo's is something that get's overlooked all too often IMHO, and it's something that should be done.

However, as soon as you train taxi's and demo's up with an amount of formality would they not take on a greater teaching persona? I also think that with formal training you'd potentially have to actually pay them for their continued effort and hard work towards the success of their regular class!

So who's gonna' suggest that to their franchisee first then? AFAIAA Mr Pauly doesn't charge taxi's on the night they do their thing and also offers discounts to them in relation to weekend events etc. Quite generous really.

*something that irk's me however is the number of taxi's who seem to be picked due to their popularity rather than their dance ability. I've seen many a good dancer be overlooked for the pretty/popular/gobby, taxi/demo...tut tut.*

JB.

[ducasi]

AFAIAA Mr Pauly doesn't charge taxi's on the night they do their thing and also offers discounts to them in relation to weekend events etc. Quite generous really.

AFAIAA, Franck doesn't charge his taxis for any normal class night, whether they're doing their thing that night or not.

I agree, quite generous, though not sufficient motivation to make me want to be a taxi.

[Alice]

So what exactly do Taxi dancers do in the UK? I think it's slightly different to the system in Sydney...
Do they actually teach? Or are they just around to freestyle with the beginners (which is how it works here- we have someone else to teach the consolidation class)?

[ducasi]

Taxis in the UK normally "take" the consolidation class. I think the word "teach" is specifically avoided.

[Dazzle]

Far from them instructing or teaching, many of them forget the basics and it would be helpful I guess if they could actually dance the Beginner moves correctly. I know Gus did this a few years back. Making sure that the crew can at least dance the moves correctly can only be good. How far you take that is up to the club or organisation I guess. I think the same could apply to many demo's too, but then the whole stage thing is not as easy as people perceive!

[Andy McGregor]

At our classes we've given Taxi Dancer 2-4 hours training in the beginners moves depending on their needs. We've also given them training in common bad habits and style points like "what to do with your free hand".

We've trained our Dance Coaches (who take the consolidation lesson) in teaching the beginners lesson to a small group as part of their education in becoming beginners lesson teachers.

On the subject of payment. We let our Taxi Dancers in for free so long as they taxi at least once a fortnight. We pay our Dance Coaches for each consolidation lesson they take. We pay our regular demos too.

[WittyBird]

On the subject of payment. We let our Taxi Dancers in for free so long as they taxi at least once a fortnight. We pay our Dance Coaches for each consolidation lesson they take. We pay our regular demos too.

More generous than most

[Andy McGregor]

More generous than most

Hey, we make money (at last!!) from our nights. How can you expect others to work for you for free?

[WittyBird]

Hey, we make money (at last!!) from our nights. How can you expect others to work for you for free?

You tell me

[Andy McGregor]

You tell me

Maybe they don't pay because they don't have to. People love to help with their hobby so they will work for love rather than money. But, IMHO, it's only fair to spead your good fortune around a bit.

[Lucy Locket]

Maybe they don't pay because they don't have to. People love to help with their hobby so they will work for love rather than money. But, IMHO, it's only fair to spead your good fortune around a bit.

Good for you