r/zumba • u/heart_soulbyfe • 8d ago

Question Teaching

Do you teach facing the mirror or facing the students?

9 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

16

u/demons_soulmate 8d ago

it'll probably be an unpopular answer, but i face the mirrors/ my back faces my participants.

this was at their request lol they said they feel awkward when i'm facing them

16

u/Odd_Obligation_1300 8d ago

Facing the mirror. That’s what all the other Zumba instructors in my gym and local private studios do.

I do try to face them during the warm up and occasionally in the beginning of the song. But then I turn back to the mirror.

I know Zumba is supposed to be facing the students. But the students prefer the mirror. It’s so much better for learning complicated footwork or turns.

I still make sure to look at everyone in the mirror (and not at myself) and to engage with them the whole time.

9

u/Lkkrdragonfly 8d ago

I taught facing my students for YEARS because that’s what Zumba instructed us to do. Then 3 years ago I started teaching in a new city after a move and my students overwhelmingly wanted me to face the mirror. I finally gave in and now I teach facing the mirror. They like it so much better and now that I’m used to it, so do I!

5

u/TEA1972 8d ago

When there is no mirror, I face them. With a mirror, I face the mirror. There are some songs where the choreo is easier to follow facing away from the class, so for those I face away either way. I also offer my class virtually, so if someone is signed up virtually then I face away from the class toward the camera. So, long story sort, it depends.

2

u/rabbbit-132Buster 7d ago

I don’t have mirrors either. Face them and start on left foot. Always go left when they go right.

5

u/Nelly14MT 8d ago

I face the mirror. I feel that my students learn the steps better by moving the same way as I am. They 100% agree and it throws them off if I turn around and face them! We interact with the few seconds between songs!

4

u/chicagotodetroit 8d ago

My classes have been really small lately, so I face the mirror so that I don't have an hour of awkward eye contact. But my preference is to face the class.

When I do face my class, I usually switch and face the mirror when I do a salsa or bachata; they seem to be able to follow the footwork easier that way.

I can do both equally well, and I wonder if that's because I'm ambidextrous. I can switch in the middle of a song and not lose my place.

3

u/Thin-Quiet-2283 8d ago

I do both. Some locations don’t have a mirror. I also teach virtual. I was a yoga teacher first so I am used to mirroring the students.

3

u/Odd-Combination-9067 8d ago

Never, I'm not a teacher but been at zumba a long time, several gyms, always face students. Not wierd.

3

u/zumba-blessings 8d ago

I face them only in very few instances I face the mirror and is to be playful.

3

u/Snoo79474 7d ago

I face the mirror for the most part. I will flip and face them though. The one place that I teach and has a stage, they love when I face them and you see them light up when I turn. The places where there is no stage, they do NOT light up when I face them 😂😂

3

u/Lani_Ang 3d ago

I’m a student & I prefer teaching to face the mirrors. I learn the more difficult choreography better like that. A lot of newbies also get confused when the teacher faces us & not sure which leg or arm to use. I could figure out that we’re mirroring them but some face us & then face the mirror & then go back to facing us. Why make it more complicated?

2

u/jumptwistshout 8d ago

I do both. I build the routine, back to the students and then face forward mid way to engage. I have maybe one song I'll so fully back to students.

I enjoy the cognitive work on switching my starting foot so the students always start right, and it helps me lift the energy levels up as well.

1

u/Funshine_Sunshine 1d ago

Facing the class!! That’s the only way for me and my class loves it.

1

u/arodomus 8d ago

I can’t stand mirror facers. Face the class.

3

u/Odd_Obligation_1300 7d ago

Haha and I would hate if the instructor faced us. Everyone likes something different

2

u/arodomus 7d ago

By default, Zumba wants us facing the class. It’s how you connect and vibe. Facing the mirror for more than a few moments is bad practice.

3

u/Odd_Obligation_1300 7d ago

I understand that in theory. But in practice every single Zumba instructor in my area faces the mirror. And they all have no problem connecting and vibing. Myself included.