Encouraging Teamwork at the Studio (and more!)

[DanceMentor]

One thing I have learned, though it has taken some time to realized the importance, as well as gain a greater understanding of how it works, is the concept of teamwork. If you look at this forum as an example, we as a group have built a tremendous knowledge base, and helped hundreds of people with their questions and trials of life as dancers.

Too often, there are people who seem to be "out for themselves", and it the end, they lose, as do the people around them. If only they realized they could be stronger by working with others!

If you look at many of the top studios or successful competitors, 99% of the time they got their as a result of their excellent ability to work with others and build a team. So I am hoping that this thread might be about ways that we can work together and be stronger as a result.

And let's not limit this to only studios! I've know amateur dancers to do quite well for themselves too. For my example, I teach a single group class each week at the studio. There are about 20 people in it, and I been making certain requirements:
1. Everybody needs to get to know each other, and find people they can practice with. It could be someone of the same sex, and one person could practice with multiple partners. The more, the better. They need to schedule practice times and get together.
2. Everyone needs to stay after class, or come before class and practice with other members of the class.
This has worked wonders, and people are taking it much more seriously, and learning at a faster rate.

So, what can you say about teamwork? And can you give specific examples?

 

[latingal]

Hey DM, you've hit on a subject that is near and dear to my heart. I worked in corporate business analysis groups for 15 years, and one of my "specialties" was team building. Not in an official capacity, but as a required component to make our groups successful. Many of the same things that make teams successful in corporate life, makes groups (and teachers!) more successful at dance studios.

I'll throw one out, most of the time to build a successful team you need a "catalyst" individual or individuals. People who will expend the time and energy to bind the group together through communication, common goals, and caring....it takes a lot to maintain a group and you need to make sure these people are supported and recognized discreetly.

 

[alemana]

it's true. one thing i've found in performance groups is that the catalyst types rise to the top almost immediately. in a performance class i'm currently in - our show is this saturday! - we've only met 4 times, once per week, but already the following has happened:

1. one person stepped forward after the first session to gather the email addresses of everyone
2. another person transcribed the routine and sent it to the list along with a digital file of the song
3. another person arranged additional practices and collected $$ from everyone for it
4. at the independent practices, the folks with the best knowledge of the routine lead the sessions completely without discussion - they simply step to the front and press "play" and off we go.

this is one of the things i love most about performance classes. some people relish the chance to lead a little bit, and others want to just shut up and dance, and almost always it works out perfectly.

 

[Laura]

Having been in classes like DM's, and in a performance group like Alemana's, I totally agree with what they have said!

A friend of mine used to, years ago, teach at an Arthur Murray. One thing that she liked was that all teachers from her studio were required to be in the ballroom for any session that anyone from the studio was competing in. I'm sure some of the teachers didn't like having to get up for newcomer at 8am or whatever, but she saw it as a wonderful way to build community and teamwork. The competitors from her studio bonded together that way, and formed a network of mutual support.

 

[Throwaway Overshare]

One reason everyone may be for themselves is that it's still formally against the rules to help each other!

 

[latingal]

Hey DM, referring back to your original post I just wanted to note that many pro-am teachers do NOT understand the importance of building their students into a team if they want to increase their chances of success as a teacher. If you are fortunate enough to have the foundations of and build a good supportive team of students - there are many benefits. A few I can think of;

• support and encouragement during the difficulties/frustrations of learning dance
• pool of knowledge available to all "team members", technical and advisory
• support/encouragement in competitve and performance endeavors (including the fallouts of the not so successful ones!)
• feeling of belonging and fun!
• proficiency levels of the participating students seem to rise in teams (the multiplier effect)
• the results of having a good team attracts new students

Most importantly, people who have the desire and this type of support are more likely to make it through the tough periods that inevitably arise when learning to dance.

That's why when I find a "catalyst" person or persons, I make sure to discreetly (this is a team endeavor!) acknowledge the effort and time required of these people...

 

[PasoDancer]

Yeah, the teamwork thing... Ideally, yes, I support it, and would... but things are... iffy... at "home" now. It's like we're encouraged to "look out for number one", and any sort of help is frowned on because it detracts from Herr Furor's teaching and ability if someone beats them to the punch of helping out. Why have them when the other students are helpful? The Furor gets "left out"... and they HATE that above all else. There's SO much more I could say, but again- I don't know who from my studio knows of this site. I can even empathize with BOTH sides, but I just want to take my lessons and dance and have a good time. That's increasingly difficult to do.

 

[Laura]

One reason everyone may be for themselves is that it's still formally against the rules to help each other!

Which rules in which organization?

 

[PasoDancer]

Studio policies? Unspoken hints?

 

[Throwaway Overshare]

Which rules in which organization?

Both USA Dance & NDCA formally prohibit even unpaid teaching, the one exception being that a USA dance club can use an amatuer to run a class if there is no professional within a certain distance. The rule is of course widely ignored - there are many unauthorized amateurs who earn a living teaching dance. But it has a substantial chilling effect on community development in ballroom compared to dance styles without such a rule tradition. There is a clear intent to reserve a place for professionals by supressing amateur self-help efforts.

 

[fascination]

I have been very fortunate that all but maybe two of my pro's ladies have been real team players, either mentoring me or asking me to help them...at one point we even contemplated t-shirts with "team (insert pros name here)" on them...I treasure my pros longstanding student...she is good for him and good to me and I do what I can to help his ladies who percieve that I have some capacity to help them...we practice together and he has always been very supportive...there are a few who have chosen to remain stand-offish and that's fine but they miss alot....and that is also what I love about DF..when someone else shares their frustrations and knowlege the whole group benefits...its like a giant support group....again to reference this book I have been reading: "Tripping the Prom Queen" about women and rivalry...it does an excellent job of deliniating good competition which can be acknowleged and the sort of toxic covert crap that kills....in the end...there is a quote by some theologian or another(give me a day or two) that says something like " we are all on this stormbattled vessel together and we owe one another a terrible loyalty"...I would rather take that chance and get burned or betrayed or misunderstood and yet benefit from the interplay than never take the risk at all.....