Lav i remember your post...
Being in a similar situation in a small town with limited access to professionals..i agree with everything you have said.
Regardless of experience, intention is key. The intention to do right by the dance, preserve the integrity in any way you can, being honest with students, being honest with your self and your own limitations, promoting safety, and the intention to continue to grow and learn yourself when the opportunity arrives (or create your own opportunities).
This kind of post will stimulate spirited debate..that is true. In the end, do you love this dance? Do you want to share the joy of it with others? Can you be honest and critical of yourself and you abilities and acknowledge your limitations? Will you do what it takes to maximize your potential and enhance your knowledge for the sake of your students? Are you committed to do what you need to to maintain integrity, be professional, be safe?
That is generally what it all comes down to...
Keep looking and searching and reading- take the support you get, take any criticism as constructive (try not to take it personally).
Good luck!
meg

"While this may be how some teachers are born, that is not how it should be. I do not think that one should teach, regardless of the lack of teachers, until you are truly capable of giving your students the education the deserve."

THIS! Just because this is how it often happens doesn't mean that is how teachers should be "made".

"I don't think there's anything wrong with offering informal lessons to others in your area who are interested, in light of the "dance partners" idea - IF you make it clear to them that you are not a professional instructor and are only filling a gap."

This I disagree with, but only because I feel there is a better option to "teaching" in any capacity. Instead you can become a facilitator to a study group! Find other dancers interested in the dance, and meet once a week, or once every other week, or once a month--whatever works best for everyone. Meet at someone's house, or if the group is too large or no space appropriate, chip in $ to rent a space together. Then everyone take turns bringing a lesson, a video, something to share with the group. Then everyone explores that concept together, and end with some jam time. Keep rotating the responsibility of bringing the lesson (don't let people just be hangers on--everyone needs to contribute, so no one becomes a de-facto teacher or leader. Keep it equal and democratic as much as possible)

You can make it even more fun by rotating a snack-master! Or a wine master! Everyone takes a turn bringing a nibble or a drink to share with the group.

As it grows, you can pool your energies and finances to host instructors in your town, sharing the financial burden and everyone benefiting from the chance to study with a professional teacher. You could put on community haflas or parties, and other networking opportunities. The possibilities are endless. So no one is a teacher, it isn't a troupe...it's a collective, if you will. Everyone contributes, everyone benefits.

Oh my goodness!
This is a horrible statistic.

No vilifying here!

I think those of us who did have a good source of honest feedback can find it hard to relate to someone who is in love with this dance, but doesn't have a solid support system in the area. And while not everyone goes to classes and learns from a live teacher, there is a lot to be said for having another human give you feedback and encouragement.

I asked my teacher (who's opinion I definitely could trust) whether she thought I was ready to teach. And that wasn't too long after I started dancing so I had reservations about it. But she gave me the go ahead and a whole new world of learning opened up for me as a result. I do many other dance styles as well: various Central Asian styles, Turkish folk, Persian, and while I feel just as comfortable performing them as I do Belly Dance, I don't yet feel I'm ready to teach those styles. So I stick with Egyptian Belly Dance and Gothic Belly Dance for now. When the time comes, I know I can go to my teacher and ask her which of those styles she feels I am ready to teach.

Here's how I would approach it before attempting to teach:

1. Ask yourself what you really want. Do you WANT to teach or are you just looking for people to dance with? Teaching requires not only a solid knowledge of technique, history, music and the desire to share the art form with others, but also the willingness and ability to take the time to break this dance down to its most basic parts and communicate those parts to people who all may learn in completely different ways and at different speeds.

Some people can see a movement and do it from the start. Some people are aural learners. Some people take awhile to get a movement, but once it's in their muscle memory, it's like they've been doing it for years. Do you have ideas as to how you can teach all of those people with only an hour or two a week to do it?

Loving the dance in and of itself doesn't necessarily mean you can teach it effectively. But it;s a good start!

If you REALLY want to teach sit down and think about how you would go about it. What is your movement repertoire like? How is your posture? Your arms? You don't have to be PERFECT to teach because no one is perfect. We all still have things we can learn and improve upon. But do you feel you have the background to share it? And be honest with yourself! Don't be overly critical, but really take as objective a view as possible of your own dancing.

2. If you have a hard time looking at your dancing objectively, try finding a teacher who's abilities you like and who's opinion you feel you can trust and see if she will give you a critique. Some teachers will accept videos as well for critique. The one who comes to mind right off the bat is Amaya in New Mexico (any corrections to that?). But you may be able to find someone well versed in ATS who is willing to do it. Even a non-ATS teacher can help because the base movements are the same.

3. What is available in your area? Are there dancers already in the area who may also be interested in learning ATS? Can you rally them somehow to join you?

4. If you don't feel you are ready to teach try contacting one (or all) of the studios and tell them you are interested in starting a club of sorts. See if they have a rental rate for their teachers and tell them you would like to have a regular "gathering," of people who are interested in learning. Set a minimum number of people you'd like to come in each week and have them chip in to pay the rent.

This way, while you are technically teaching others, you aren't promoting yourself as a "pro," teacher. And it will also keep the door open for the people who join you to bring their ideas and knowledge to the table. It's more a learning circle.

5. Post where ever you can in your area to get people in and learning and try to find a studio that will advertise for you (whether you teach or have a "club."). Whether you teach or not, the studio will be making money and may see that your time with them is worthy of advertisement.

I hope this helps some!

Taletha

Please please please, if you do decide to teach at some point, charge the same as all the other teachers in your area. Don't charge less than the going rate just because you feel you don't have the same amount of experience as other local teachers.

On a note about teaching ATS, get really good at the group improv portion of the dance as well as the moves, following and leading. I've seen it before in other teachers who want to expand their repetoire of classes. Just because they know the ATS moves doesn't mean they can teach and perform the group improvisational aspect.

Good luck on your journeys.

Thanks Yeli, I did meet Brandy of Bella Nantana at Tribal Alchemy and many other ladies who have their GS.
My post was not so much about "me" being able to find instruction, but more about feeling pressured from within and without here in Tyler, in my attempt to find regular dance partners here.
There are numerous studios in Houston, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Birmingham(my birthplace), and the DFW metroplex that I am aware of to further my training.