Your Teacher: Does gender matter?

Every once in a while I get a student who wants to learn to follow and expresses a choice to learn from a man instead of a woman. I don't argue with this, as some women just don't feel comfortable dancing with another woman and I'm happy to pass her on to one of my colleagues. However, sometimes it's not a matter of comfort level, but a misunderstanding of what it takes to teach the skill of following. Any dance instructor who teaches alone must be skilled in the arts of leading as well as following. If you want to learn to follow, your instructor must know how to lead, but also he/she must have a clear understanding of how to follow. A man who doesn't follow may be able to teach you, as the leader is directing the follower, but someone who dances both parts will be better equipped to give you the instruction you need than one who only dances lead. If you are not a natural follower, that is someone who picks up the skill intuitively, it can be a very difficult skill to learn. If you are not uncomfortable learning from someone of the same gender, pick you teacher based on experience, teaching skill, and how comfortable you feel with him or her. Gender is not important.