"Do Not Take Outside Instruction" - Does it bother you ?

[dancingirldancing]

I was looking at a studio website today (not mine) and found it clearly stated that studio 'is expected not not to take outside instruction in the same style they are learning in the studio'.

My first reaction is 'WHY ?'.

I am so used to taking different instruction from different teachers sometimes occasional coaching and also permanent instruction from 2 different teachers from 2 different studios for the same style.

One of my teacher does not mind it at all but the other one kind of does. But he never make a fuss out of it because he knows that if he does I will probably walk away. I am careful not to mention other studio or teacher to this second teacher though because the air will suddenly become uncomfortable once I did that.

It is my money after all and I think I should be free to take lessons from whomever I wish.

I think if you are a good teacher you should be secure enough with your student taking lessons somewhere else.

I found that my two teachers never really conflicts each other on the other hand they compliment each other teaching very well and I have been a much better dancer as a result rather than if I only take lesson from one of them.

Does any of your teacher or studio have this policy ?

Do you mind it at all ?

I truly find it really bizzare !

[19DancerBabyLin]

My previous coach was very insistent on us learning from other dance instructors as well. He said it may help us if we listen to the same technique explained in different ways, and we would also figure out how we learn best and what works for us. In fact, he was the coach of our student organization, yet he was the one who told us that we have to constantly try-out and interview other potential coaches to pick the best for the team. Can't say enough how much that has helped me, and I've brought this philosophy over to my new dance team when I moved.

[Terpsichorean Clod]

My first teacher strongly encouraged me to take lessons from instructors higher up in the same family tree. At my current stage in dancing, I wouldn't feel comfortable trying to integrate information from different families/schools/traditions. If I took lessons from just two different instructors, I'd probably end up absorbing nothing from either. :razz:

[Peaches]

I would run from a studio which discouraged or "banned" getting instruction from outside teachers.

Either that or, if I had the time/money, I'd see what they were willing to do about it. Take lessons at the studio, take lessons from someone else, not be quiet about the outside instruction...see what they do, go to town. (Like I said, if I had the time and money, which I don't. But I'd still be tempted to flaunt such a stupid, and possibly illegal, policy.)

[Joe]

It's called parochialism, i.e. they don't want students going elsewhere and seeing that their instructors aren't very good.

[etp777]

It's called parochialism, i.e. they don't want students going elsewhere and seeing that their instructors aren't very good.

Or their prices. :)

[samina]

It is indeed your money and you *are* free to study wherever and with however many instructors your heart may desire and your pocket can afford.

My pro would never discourage my receiving quality instruction from others...and I would never agree to such a restriction.

[etp777]

My pros, past and present, have had no problem with it, with two caveats. One, yes, as Sam said, should be quality instruction, of course. 2, is that at times I've tried to learn from too many different sources at once (including DF). I have had trouble some of htose times integrating all the various sources. Then it was suggested I cut back sources of information/learning. Was nothing about them not wanting me to learn other places though, just trying to make it easier for me to actually learn and use it all.

[FlippySmith]

It could be a situation where they don't want their less experienced dancers to waste their money and confuse themselves when the instructor has a specific and delicate plan for their initial development.

If you're experienced enough to question the sign, it may not apply to you.

[fascination]

perhaps but I am not but I am not buying it....

[LucyDiamond]

Either that or, if I had the time/money, I'd see what they were willing to do about it. Take lessons at the studio, take lessons from someone else, not be quiet about the outside instruction...see what they do, go to town. (Like I said, if I had the time and money, which I don't. But I'd still be tempted to flaunt such a stupid, and possibly illegal, policy.)
That's what I'd be tempted to do also. ;)

[JohnLL]

I had this problem. While it was never explicitly stated at my old studio and it wasn't a big deal to some of the teachers there, it was a very big deal to the owner of the studio (who made that known to me in no uncertain terms when she found out I had taken lessons elsewhere). I went to a couple parties after that and she made me so uncomfortable that I stopped going and haven't been back since.
It's too bad because I made some great friends there, but nobody is going to tell me where I can and can't dance and I had enough of all the inter-studio drama.
I'm much happier now. :-)

[dlgodud]

I had this problem. While it was never explicitly stated at my old studio and it wasn't a big deal to some of the teachers there, it was a very big deal to the owner of the studio (who made that known to me in no uncertain terms when she found out I had taken lessons elsewhere). I went to a couple parties after that and she made me so uncomfortable that I stopped going and haven't been back since.
It's too bad because I made some great friends there, but nobody is going to tell me where I can and can't dance and I had enough of all the inter-studio drama.
I'm much happier now. :-)

I guess the owner must be out of his mind.

[Me]

"Do Not Take Outside Instruction" - Does it bother you?"

I simply refuse to participate in such stupidity.

Let's say you walk into a McDonalds and the person at the register says, "I saw your car parked at Sonic yesterday. You are no longer welcome here."

Crazy, yes?

[JohnLL]

I guess the owner must be out of his mind.

I would say she is. I'd say more too but this IS a public forum and I don't want to get in trouble with the mods. :raisebro:

[dlgodud]

I would say she is. I'd say more too but this IS a public forum and I don't want to get in trouble with the mods. :raisebro:

I mean she. And I understand that you don't want to talk about it more too.

[waltzguy]

I think it's ridiculous.

[wonderwoman]

My studio only does American style smooth and rhythm, so I've taken a few lessons in International latin and standard, but I see no other reason to learn from more than one teacher for a particular style, because it tends to confuse me.

[latingal]

Luckily the studios I have worked in do not have this type of policy.

There are some situations where you have to address when there seems to be a conflict between two different sources of high quality information. But really, it's not hard to handle if one or both of the teachers are knowledgable and secure enough to help you wade through it.

I have found having two different instructors in the same style (one was consistent at twice a week, the other once every two weeks) actually helped my learning process because I received many different explanations and metaphors of the concepts until I found what worked best for me.

[Leonid Turetsky]

My view...
I agree that people shouldn't be restricted to just one teacher, and should be able to choose to have 1 or more...

I do see a problem arising if you are coaching someone very consistently, and have a map of development ready for them.... then if a student takes lessons elsewhere and starts to get conflicting messages (or they believe its conflicting, even ifs just different way of saying the same thing...), he/she may become very confused as to what it is they have to do, and it may affect their own progress.. but that is also still the students' choice.

In general, I advise newbies to stick to one teacher/coach in one style in the first year or two at least..... then later on when they get some foundation and understanding of the dancing technique, to defenitely branch out and take lessons with 3-4 teachers/coaches.

[dTas]

i think the responsibility of sorting out conflicts in instruction should be left to the student not the instructor. if the student is getting confused the let the student decide whether or not to continue taking lessons from several different sources.

i am very curious as to this studio's justification for this policy. how about sending that studio an e-mail asking the reason for such a rule?

[DanPost]

My view...
I agree that people shouldn't be restricted to just one teacher, and should be able to choose to have 1 or more...

I do see a problem arising if you are coaching someone very consistently, and have a map of development ready for them.... then if a student takes lessons elsewhere and starts to get conflicting messages (or they believe its conflicting, even ifs just different way of saying the same thing...), he/she may become very confused as to what it is they have to do, and it may affect their own progress.. but that is also still the students' choice.


Yes, and this is a perfectly reasonable suggestion, especially for beginning dancers.

Elaborating on your point, it is radically different to say "hey just make sure you don't confuse yourself" (which makes sense), versus "you cannot take lessons elsewhere on threat of being banned". Studios like that deserve to lose customers (and they do).

Presumably most people taking lessons are adults (or being supervised by adults such as parents) and can make intelligent choices about sources of coaching (or not, and learn from the consequences as I'm sure most here have).

Regardless, exclusivity applied to a customer is just plain wrong... it's a very different issue from an employment contract where some form of exclusivity makes sense (and even many of those tend to have clauses allowing non-working-hours moonlighting, but now I'm getting off on a tangent, which I have been known to do now and then).

-Dan

[dlgodud]

I do see a problem arising if you are coaching someone very consistently, and have a map of development ready for them.... then if a student takes lessons elsewhere and starts to get conflicting messages (or they believe its conflicting, even ifs just different way of saying the same thing...), he/she may become very confused as to what it is they have to do, and it may affect their own progress.. but that is also still the students' choice.

Exactly, it is a student's choice. And, the person who makes the choice also has to take a responsibility.

In general, I advise newbies to stick to one teacher/coach in one style in the first year or two at least..... then later on when they get some foundation and understanding of the dancing technique, to defenitely branch out and take lessons with 3-4 teachers/coaches.

Yes, after two years of staying with a teacher, I've just changed. The outcome is great. Some of things that I receive from my new teacher is things that I already know, but some of them are not. Well, I think I have a better understanding of the techniques right now.

[Leonid Turetsky]

I do think that in this case they probably posted this message just to discourage students from learning from different teachers..... maybe they didn't want the prices to come out......or maybe in the past they have experienced students coming back to them and questioning their methods? Maybe they view it as a hassle for them when students getting confused and they have to explain to them that its all same info just diff ways to say it.....this would probably apply more to the beginner dancer who may not have the best judgement to understand that really a lot of info is the same and not mutually exclusive.... maybe...lol....

I think if you are a secure teacher who is teaching "to serve"/"to give" then you will definitely be okay with someone getting different/other info from another teacher..... As it is at the end of the day about the student's development.......When i teach, I always say "this is how i teach this", because I know there are teachers out there who may teach the same thing very differently, and if the student says "but so and so said this and that".... I will say that we all try to get to the same point but sometimes saying it in different ways, but "this is my way"....

[dlgodud]

Unfortunately, LT, what you say might be true. Teachers are humans like us and I don't expect they should know everything. But, some of teachers think whatever they learned and know are the best way and refuse to know new things, those teacher make me run away from them.

[JohnLL]

..... maybe they didn't want the prices to come out......

A very good point. I will not dance at a studio that does not come right out and tell me what the prices and discounts are up front. Strange as it may seem, there are studios out there that won't disclose this info.

[Wolfgang]

It is your money and with it you can take lessons from whomever you wish.

[Lioness]

My current coach is a bit like this, and frankly, it does bother me a bit. It bothers me because he's now not qualified enough to teach me what I need to know, and the only reason I'm still taking lessons with him is because mum wont let me stop. Loyalty, and all that.
Even so, we're now getting private lessons from somewhere else, and if he makes a fuss he can go jump in a lake.

[fascination]

you go girl

[JohnLL]

My current coach is a bit like this, and frankly, it does bother me a bit. It bothers me because he's now not qualified enough to teach me what I need to know, and the only reason I'm still taking lessons with him is because mum wont let me stop. Loyalty, and all that.
Even so, we're now getting private lessons from somewhere else, and if he makes a fuss he can go jump in a lake.

Good for you!

[taylor1990]

I guess it depends on how much instruction you are taking and from whom. You said you feel that the two instructors you have compliment each other, then maybe you're lucky. I would have to say that most of the time, at least once you get into more styling and technique, that the two teachers would probably conflict. Yes, it is good to hear different ways of explaining the same thing, but at the same time, it could confuse some people. I guess it really depends on the people involved. As far as that studio's policy, it is your money and your time, so you're allowed to do whatever you want with it. I doubt that studio would kick you out of the studio even if they knew you were taking lessons at another studio.

[JohnLL]

But by the same token I know many people that have different coaches for different styles. In that situation I don't necessarily think that you would have conflicts between what you are learning from different teachers if one is coaching smooth and the other is coaching rhythm. I would even argue that having a different coach for rhythm versus latin might not be a bad thing either.