Will AI Take Over My Job? Part 2

TWENTY YEAR DANCE MILESTONE
Unexpected Blessings!

Writing this article took longer than I realized (I timed myself to see how long it takes to develop, write, then, put together an article - it took me around 16 hours). More hours than I had thought it would take, but I enjoyed the process. Discovering more about myself, and figuring out what I really do for a living was eye-opening. While asking myself, “Do I have any value to those around me?”……. It turned out that far, far away, in the land of endless fields of ganja (Jamaica), two wonderful amazing ladies, while on holiday, got an idea.

Yesterday evening as I prepared for my class (while challenging myself to see if I could learn the ladies styling choreography being taught by Rebecca, FDComm’s Bachata Instructor), I was surprised by 2 reps from our local online paper, Guelph Today. They gifted me an award (including some prizes) for surviving this long (20 Years!) and providing a place in the community for people to come and rejuvenate themselves through dance after a challenging day, week, month, and sometimes, year(s).  I was very honored by their generosity, it was pretty cool!  

TWENTY YEAR DANCE MILESTONE
Will AI take my job as a dance instructor? Yes? No?

I was also weirded out a little at the same time - to receive this award while writing two articles trying to figure out if: “[Will] AI Take My Job? Part 1”, and Will AI Take My Job? Part 2 - what you are reading.  So, back to the original question — will AI take my job?

Above is the YouTube video that made me think this was a possibility.  Rebecca and I (FDComm Bachata Instructor), also had a nice long conversation on this subject, that ended with me concluding yes, and her concluding no. However… the most efficient way to find out for sure was to do some research. All the best tools for research are AI tools: Chat GTP 4, Claude 3, Llama 3, Gemini 1.5 ..… basically any large language model. Interestingly, as I write this article, I am observing the AI space from a different point of view, and the names of the language models sound like names of aliens, or extraterrestrials. Anyhow, I digress.   

During my research, I discovered that when taking a holistic view of a dance instructor’s impact on both their students and their community, there are 14 important roles a dance instructor plays when running their dance community. Below are the 14 roles, responsibilities, and some examples that *we, the instructors of FDComm manage weekly here at the Flying Dance Community.

*we - I have an amazing support team that helps keep our community engaged, and love dance for dance itself! Thank you!

1. Educator and Trainer

• Fundamental to the instructor's role is focusing on teaching dance techniques and skills necessary for student progression.

• Example 1: We offer progressive dance lessons in Salsa, Bachata, and West Coast Swing Dancing, starting from from Levels 1 to 4 in Salsa and Bachata, and Levels 1 & 2 in West Coast Swing

• Example 2: Performance team and advanced workshops series. Currently, Rebecca is training a Bachata Performance Team. Below is a video of me practicing the choreography.

2. Role Model

• Critical for setting behavioral and ethical standards in the studio, influencing students' personal and artistic development.

• Example 1: FDComm’s Guiding Principles. Check out our Guiding Principles on our website.

• Example 2: Educating the community on dance etiquette 

3. Crisis Manager

• Ensures the safety and well-being of students and staff, crucial for maintaining a stable and secure learning environment

• √ Check

4. Inclusive Space Creator

• Promotes diversity and inclusion, ensuring that dance is accessible and welcoming to all, which is essential for a healthy and diverse community.

• Example 1: Studio “Where You Were Born Map” 

• Example 2: New this year: Accessible Outdoor Dance Events in Guelph - Moonlight Dancing in 2024 will be accessible, YAY!
  The Moonlight Dancing event in 2024 will be moving to a new location in downtown Guelph.

5. Community Builder

• Strengthens the bonds within the dance community, enhancing student retention and fostering a supportive network.

• Example 1: Hosting the Flying Dance Festival (FDFest) and bringing different dance communities to share their dance and art with our community over the past 20 years.

  

  Flying Dance Festival 2024

• READ MORE ……..

GROUP DANCE LESSONS
In April-May ‘24

• Salsa & Bachata Dancing starting on Tuesday, April 30th 
- 8-week session from April 30th to June 18th

• Salsa Dance Session starts Wednesday, May 1st 
- 8-week session from May 1st to June 19th

DANCE-VENTURES with the FDComm
Where Can I Dance Tonight?

• Tonight, Friday, April 26th: Friday Night Salsa Fix (FNSF) in Guelph

DANCE-VENTURES in the community
Where Can I Dance Tonight?

• La Pachanga Salsa Social | Waterloo, On
• Kizo Love Kizomba Dance Social | Guelph, On
• Salsa Night Dancing | London, On
• The Sunday Mid-Day Fix | Waterloo, On
• 𝗗𝗧𝗞 Wednesdays Salsa Bachata Zouk Kiz

OUTDOOR - DANCE-VENTURES
Where Can I Dance This Summer?

The FDFest 2024 Early-Bird Tickets are available for the next few weeks: from Friday, March 22nd to Monday, April 22nd. Here are the few confirmed artists for 2024.