Dance Partners: Dance Addict's Guide

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DANCE PARTNERS (a.k.a DIs)

There are roughly 2,500 to 3,000 dance instructors in the Philippines, many of whom are young men and women barely out of their teens.
     Local dance instructors are not necessarily accredited dance teachers, though I personally know that several have gone through formal dance training (not teacher training) here and abroad. Probably the needs of social dancers in the Philippines have not reached that stage yet. A few have also taken coaches on to train them for competition.
     Still that doesn't mean Filipino dance instructors are not good. In fact, you'll be amazed at how well they can actually dance, choreograph and teach the non-dancers. Their dancing prowess may not yet conform with international standards, but many of them are natural dancers, as many other Filipinos are.
     Dance instructors (DIs) are either 'booked' or 'roving.
"Booked" DIs are contracted for a specific session as an exclusive dance partner for an individual or a group. They are paid PhP 300 -500 ($7.50 to $20.00) per hour or PhP 1,500-2,500 ($37.50 to $62.50) per night, depending on their dance proficiency and 'market value'.
"Roving" DIs may be found at the many dance places teeming in the major cities around the country. They personally ask the guest to dance, and expect a "tip" at the end of the night. Depending on how many times you dance with them and their proficiency in the ballroom dances, the tips are adjusted and discounted. It would be decent to tip your D.I. no less than PhP150 ($3.75) per dance.

     As ballroom dancing gains more popularity and acceptance among Filipinos, ballroom dancing venues are mushrooming in the country's key cities, all competing for a share of the ever-growing trend.
        Barely a decade ago, you could count the specialty dancing outlets in Metro Manila on just one hand. Five years ago, you could count them on two hands. Today, not even the centipede's legs would be enough to count on. Practically every hotel and classy restaurant has at least one ballroom night a week; even a large office canteen along Buendia Avenue and a large restaurant along Quezon Avenue now reserves nights for ballroom dancing.
        Then too, the ratio between ballroom enthusiasts and professionally-trained dance instructors was a comfortable 30 students per 1 instructor. These days, with the growing number of self-proclaimed dance instructors (thanks to Mt. Pinatubo and the government's inability to generate other decent paying jobs), the ratio is now at least 3:1. Am I sure? Well, see for yourself and visit any normal ballroom outlet. But until the handful of dance schools are able to convince the ever-increasing number of aspiring DIs to train properly, the amateur cash-strapped dance enthusiast will just have to contend with the situation and hope to survive in one piece.

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