Five cueing mistakes every new instructor makes

Great choreography means nothing if the room cannot follow it. Here are five cueing mistakes new instructors make — and the fixes.

1. Cueing too late. Tell people what is coming before it arrives, not as it happens. Cue the next move on the previous phrase so the class is never caught out.
2. Too many words. By the time you finish a long sentence, the move is gone. Cue in short, punchy commands.
3. Forgetting the visual. Not everyone processes words mid-move. Show the move clearly and use hand signals for direction and count.
4. No count-in. People need to know when to start. A clear "5, 6, 7, 8" is the difference between a room that moves together and one that scrambles.
5. Cueing to yourself, not the room. Mirror the class, watch faces, and adjust. If half the room is lost, simplify — do not push on.

Good cueing is a skill, not a talent. Drill it, record yourself, and it becomes second nature.