How to swap teachers...diplomatically?

dancingirldancing said:
This teacher just keeps on going about practising 'bronze' for at least 6 months
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Strong dancers repeatedly utilize their skills in basics during their lessons. There may be a purpose why he's drilling you on bronze figures. Remember, all dance instructors teach their skills differently... Some think they'll get you far only if you "cooperate" with their way...
 
If he's not giving her feedback and technique corrections/improvements then what's the point?

But yeah, working on the "bronze" stuff never ends. It was only today, after 11 years of dancing, after 3 years with the current teacher, that my Natural Spin Turn ("bronze" in Standard Waltz) was deemed "very good, we don't need to work on it" and we moved on to...the Turning Lock! A "gold" pattern. Woo!
 
I suppose it's worth sticking around if dancingirl finds the lessons still effective. If not, yes... what's the point?
 
dancingirldancing said:
My main problem with this teacher is not about his ability but I feel like he is witholding information from me. He used to win a lot of professional competition in his days.

The other teacher treats me like an advanced competitor when working very heavily on techniques.

This teacher just keeps on going about practising 'bronze' for at least 6 months without any substantial technique correction.

I have been doing gold and open routines for years now and I dont really know what is the purpose of doing bronze without significant technique improvements.

I just feel like there is no value in the lesson short of practising things over and over again.

I can do that by myself.

Hmm.....see if I have the gut to pull out soon.
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the distinction here...as Laura notes....isn't that he is having you work bronze patterns...but the absence of techincal info accompanying it...b/c I can tell you that I have done quite well in closed bronze pro/am at many of the major comps and I anticipate that ten years from now I will still be doing drills that are comprised of closed bronze steps...
 
heh, I spend half of every lesson with buddy teacher working rumb basic/cuban walk/rumba walks. but being drilled mercilessly on every bit of technique. well, every bit I can manage, sure she has all kinds of new things to add if I ever master those. :P
 
I dont mind doing a technical class but it goes like this.

Okay forget the bronze pattern. I have been learning new vogue from him.

I told him I want to learn body and hand movements etc but he just keep on walking the steps.

What ?

Now back to bronze my lesson will go like this:

Let's do the bronze waltz routine...

Okay let's do the tango.....

Now lets do the foxtrot......

Okay now lets go back to waltz......and so on and so forth

He does not even give me any corrections/feedback/tips for improvements etc.

So it is not the bronze move that I have problem with...

Also, even though I do not mind repeating the bronze moves over and over again dont you think we should occasionaly do the silver and gold ones as well considering I am an open routine dancer ?
 
I'm not sure if you mentioned this above but how accomplished is this teacher? Has he competed himself and won at a significantly higher level than he is teaching you? It certainly sounds as if he has nothing to teach you and is simply spinning his wheels.

Whatever the reason - even if he really does have an insight into something that you need to learn - I'd have to agree that your teacher-student relation ship has broken down either because he can not teach you or because he can not communicate to you why he is doing what he is.

The main point is that its not his feelings you have to worry about. Its your future and more important its your money - he has no 'right' to it. I mean would you continue to pay a dentist if he is not fixing your teeth? Or your grocer for food that you can not eat? Think of it that way and then act according to your needs, not those of your dentist or grocer!
 
http://www.dance-forums.com/showpost.php?p=672411&postcount=74

Good post, Fasc. Or, perhaps i like it b/c it is exactly my sentiment in post #65. Great minds.... :)
dancingirldancing said:
I dont mind doing a technical class .....even though I do not mind repeating the bronze moves over and over again dont you think we should occasionaly do the silver and gold ones as well considering I am an open routine dancer ?
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One has to consider that the guy is the teacher, and perhaps knows better than the student what the student needs. Having said that, and I believe that you know that I am not bashing at all, who decided that you are an open routine dancer, ....you or a teacher? Perhaps the teacher is accommodating you by allowing you to dance open routines while knowing that you still need to repeat bronze tech skills.
 
Well surely not him as I said above he never teach me other than bronze routine ! It is actually my other teachers that does open routines with me both Latin and Standard. I wanted to concentrate on new vogue with this one but he keeps on teaching me bronze standard and some walk here walk there new vogue. I am not delusional about what I can do you know !
 
i beleive OP has stated that the pro in question has some significant accomplishments to his credit....thus, I think the most appropriate course of action would be to question said pro as to precisely why he is choosing this particular course of action...and to insist if he is strong about integrating the bronze concepts more solidly, that he be more specific as to what is missing and what he would like to see more of...
 
Would it be insulting to the pro if you sat down with him and respectfully asked him what your roadmap was regarding your lessons? I feel if I don't know why I am doing something (what the purpose of the exercise or lesson is), that I cannot fully be "in" the lesson.
 
Laura said:
If he's not giving her feedback and technique corrections/improvements then what's the point?
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He could be giving feedback physically, by dancing with her, rather than verbally.

On the other hand, if that's not the way she learns best - or even if it's just not the way she likes to learn - another instructor might be better for her.
 
dancingirldancing said:
Well surely not him as I said above he never teach me other than bronze routine ! It is actually my other teachers that does open routines with me both Latin and Standard. I wanted to concentrate on new vogue with this one but he keeps on teaching me bronze standard and some walk here walk there new vogue. I am not delusional about what I can do you know !
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It's hard to give sound advice as to which teacher is doing the correct thing by you when we haven't seen you dance. It may be the case that your teacher is not giving you enough, but then it might also be the case that you're simply not ready for the flowery parts of New Vogue - ie your basic technique isn't ready to support it.

But then, considering "walking" through the routines in New Vogue is still good enough for my partner and I, and we're way beyond the Australian medal system and in the middle of the competition levels, I imagine it's probably good enough for someone who is still doing medal technique.
 
My point is not why he made me do basic routines but the lack of everything else.

WaltzElf, are you just walking your steps everytime and all the time or is it an occasional thing ?

I have seen his 'best' students and they are not looking great either. Yet he pushes them through much more than me.

I think he is the sort of person who value tenure more than skills.

So if someone have been with him for a long time then no matter what she or he can actually do he will push them harder and give them a lot of information.

Just because I have not been learning from him for a long time, he could not see my years and years of prior training and treat me like a beginner. It just icks me.

Anyway, I made up my mind. I come back home from his lesson upset everytime because he always says something that belittles me and made me think that he does not think much of my dancing and it is just not worth dropping $350 a month to feel so upset all the time.

ETA: His comments are never constructive it goes like this 'I dont think that you will be able to do this step/comp for a long long time' (duh I have been DOING them for years). Instead of 'Let's see how we can work together to enable you to do this or that'.
 
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