In the past I have been all 'here's what we're doing today'... either style or dance, but I try to use it sparingly, because it does not go over all that well
We do plan as a team - I set my plan a year in advance. I think the conflict comes from the different ways we see a plan. For me, it's a 'barring extraordinary circumstances (injury, illness, major financial crisis), this is what I am doing'. For pro, I think a plan is more of a loose guideline.
We started talking about maybe doing 10-dance at nationals in October/November... in January, I said I wanted to do it and starting working latin in earnest again in practices, dropping in to the occasional group technique session as my schedule allowed.
The agreed plan was to pick it up in lessons after our end-Feb competition, keeping my existing 3 routines and adding paso and jive. Then there was a comp in late-March that was planned... see notes in my post above about the depression that ensued after that fiasco. Then there was an end May comp, and pro wanted to concentrate on standard going in to that - at this point, he was still talking about picking latin up after it and telling me that there would be enough time (to which I expressed doubt, but was reassured it would be fine). At each lesson after that comp, I asked about latin, always getting put off to the next lesson, finally pinning him to the wall about it on Wed. To be clear, my standard has come a
long way in those 6 months, so it's not like we were doing nothing.
I do realize, now that I've calmed down a bit, that he was just doing his thing where he realizes he's made a whoops and fronts with anger... he hates when I logic him into a corner. He is likely just as disappointed as I am, since he's been telling people for months that we were looking at 10-dance, and talking about our chances, etc. (which I have asked him not to do). Despite that, at my first lesson next week, I'll likely have to endure the spiel about how I was not fair with expressing disappointment, etc. (I get the spiel when he's hurt because he's taking a conversation about dance personally. I mostly tune it out at this point, and have ceased reacting to it, because I refuse to be drawn into an argument when I have clearly (and without blame or accusation) expressed my needs or feelings about something dance-related. I've learned he needs to rant it out in order to move on.) If he'd like to blame me for "not being clear" I can take that... doesn't mean I agree though
(What can I say, we have a complicated relationship.)
I have a latin lesson booked with another pro at a different studio on Sunday. I'm going to be clear through my actions.
He has come to be reasonably accepting of that.