Is this being honest or being a liar? Or between?

[phoenix13]

well here if you want to say that you are a danceSport coach you must have accreditation, but most new students would not ask. it is only if they get cuaght doing so.

I think that's where places like PDO can really help newcomers -- by shining a light on that type of thing.   Its a lot different than when I started dancing.  there really wasn't a lot of information on the internet, back then. Now, all you have to do is google.

[elisedance]

I believe you. Seems a bit unwieldy to me,though.  Of course, I come from a place where,to become a dance teacher, all you have to do is declare that you are one and buy a license.

what if you are a registered amateur dancer?  Is it still legit?

[phoenix13]

Not sure what you're asking.

There's a difference between legit in the eyes of dancers and legal in the eyes of the state. To the state, what  is relevant is not whether you can even dance much less teach, but whether you've paid a licensing fee. It's long after they start to dance that most people even find out how to make the distinction.

Is that what you mean?

[QPO]

In Australia you dont have to be registered but if you work with children you need to have a police check and done a child safety course. If you hve ont there is a $25,000 fine

[SwingWaltz]

well here if you want to say that you are a danceSport coach you must have accreditation, but most new students would not ask. it is only if they get cuaght doing so.

I think that's only the case if you are registered with DSA. I know dancesport coaches who has never heard of level 0, 1, 2, 3 or what DSA stands for. They still teach medals from other societies. Sadly some of them can't teach! I feel sorry for the students who know no better. 

[phoenix13]

It probably belongs in another thread, but I don't know what levels 0.1.2 and 3 are either.  Didn't know what DSA was until I joined PDO.  Would love to get some explanations of the levels.  (e.g. Do they correspond to bronze,silver,gold,etc? or are they newcomer, novice,pre-champ,champ or none of the above?)

Of course, I would probably have an idea if I were in Australia.  

I think it may have to do with how ballroom dance evolved in each place.   In the US,places like AM and FADS were big proponents of formalized ballroom dance instruction, and both of them did and still do use teachers who are six week wonders -- who go from knowing nothing about dance to teaching dance in a few months at the most.  (Probably still another thread topic.)

From what I understand, things in the UK, Australia and S Africa developed very differently.

[elisedance]

Not sure what you're asking.

There's a difference between legit in the eyes of dancers and legal in the eyes of the state. To the state, what  is relevant is not whether you can even dance much less teach, but whether you've paid a licensing fee. It's long after they start to dance that most people even find out how to make the distinction.

Is that what you mean?

I was mixing two questions: can an amateur teach in your area and still keep their amateur status (its really off topic...)

[phoenix13]

It would be easy to find out, but it's really not something I follow closely, because it has to do with competition ballroom, which really isn't my thing anymore.  Hasn't been in years.  I know there's a big to-do about who's amateur and who's pro, but I haven't followed all the (many) arguments.

[elisedance]

the idea is obvious but in most places there are now exceptions -except I think for pro-am competition, which is now the bread-and-butter for many competition teachers...