Is Chemistry Important in Selecting Coach

[_malakawa_]

I third the question--are you taking lessons from them intending to compete pro-am or are you taking lessons and planning to compete with an am partner?

For me the answer probably doesn't change much. So...I do pro/am with two different teachers. In terms of personality "chemistry", I get on better with one than the other. His style of communicating just happens to be more effective with me. However, I learn just as much from the other pro (and I have to say the fact that it's different styles has a LOT to do with it as well.) I like them both, I learn something from both of them. So I dance and compete with both.

If you don't feel like you're learning from Coach #1, but you like dancing with him, you need to decide if it's worth what you're paying to just enjoy the experience. If you have no fun dancing with Coach #2 but you are learning and improving you need to decide if what you learn is more important than having an enjoyable time while you dance with him. It's a cost-benefit analysis--is what you're getting from each situation worth what you're putting into it?[/quote]


this is a key.

 

[chica latina]

I agree with many of the other posts. If you want to learn and improve your dancing, probably coach #2 is the right one; if you feel you can take it. Maybe during lessons he's being tough to get you better and make you aware of things, but in competition he may be as enjoyable to dance with as the other coach...

 

[Peaches]

I agree with many of the other posts. If you want to learn and improve your dancing, probably coach #2 is the right one; if you feel you can take it. Maybe during lessons he's being tough to get you better and make you aware of things, but in competition he may be as enjoyable to dance with as the other coach...

I think this is a key point. Coach #2 might be a better teacher, dancer, and coach...and in the long run you might end up getting way more out of lessons with him, but...

If your emotional response to his teaching is getting in the way of your learning, and you're unable (for whatever reason) to ignore that or get past it or handle it, then I think you'd really need to do some serious soul searching to see if you want to continue with him. And your answer could very well be that you do want to continue, despite everything else--I'm not meaning to say that your conclusion is that you should quit with him. Everyone's got different "emotional pain" threshholds.

 

[dancingirldancing]

Well, I am doing pro-am lesson at the moment but I will not compete pro-am. I am just still looking for an am partner.

Anyway, they will still be my coach when I find an am partner.

Placing wise coach no 1 is much younger (my age) and placed higher thatn coach no 2.

I dont know if it is the age factor that make me more comfortable with him.

 

[_malakawa_]

Well, I am doing pro-am lesson at the moment but I will not compete pro-am. I am just still looking for an am partner.

Anyway, they will still be my coach when I find an am partner.

Placing wise coach no 1 is much younger (my age) and placed higher than coach no 2.

I don't know if it is the age factor that make me more comfortable with him.

i would say that experience is much important than ages.

if you are looking for an am partner, stay with coach #2. if you can afford yourself to dance with coach #1 ok, but if not, second one is better option.

becuse when you'll be much comfortable with the steps and technique youl'll start to dance and enjoy with both teachers.

 

[danceronice]

Placing as competitors doesn't really mean much, IMO, if they're just going to be coaching you. Just because someone is a good competitor doesn't mean they're going to be a great teacher. It doesn't mean they WON'T be, either, but the skills required to be a talented competitor aren't necessarily those that make a good instructor. I'm a very good equestrian but would make a LOUSY trainer (a great judge, but a lousy trainer.) I'm a good rider myself, I have a good seat, decent legs, great hands, I am very good at looking at riders and quickly sorting out details of what's right and what's wrong, but if something is wrong? I'm terrible at communicating how to fix it if the way I know doesn't work for that student. There are lots of things a teacher has to do that don't necessarily relate to being a good competitor.

As for the age thing--who knows? That's totally personal. Of my two pros, the one who is more older than me (they both are, but in one case it's only a few years, the other...uh, a few more than that) and I tend to...uh...there's no tactful way to say it, butt heads less often. It's just a matter of personalities.

 

[_malakawa_]

well said danceronice.

from the experience i know that a very good dancer can be a bad teacher.

as i said early, if you want progress coach #2 should be your choice.

 

[cornutt]

I think I'm going to have to disagree with the panel here. To me, chemistry in a regular partnership (of any kind) is so important that I wouldn't give up on #1 until it's become apparent that I've gone as far as I can go with that partnership. I'd first try going to him and saying, "We have a great partnership, and I really enjoy dancing with you. But I'm ready to step up my game. I want you to start introducing new material to me and pushing me more." Then, see what happens. It's possible your coach had read you as someone who only wanted to go so far (instructors do get a lot of students like that).

On the other hand, it's also possible that the reason you don't feel you are making progress with coach #1 is that you've tapped out his knowledge. In that case, he won't be able to take you any further until he gets some training himself. Does he have any students who are more advanced than you?

 

[fascination]

well see, that is the thing cornutt...it is confusing as to the use of the term coach...b/c my view on a coach and my view on a pro are two very different things b/c of the amount of time one is with them...sort of like a scarey roller coaster... I can take anything for 2 1/2 minutes

 

[etp777]

hahah, suspect that's an analogy that would have some of our regular coaches at my studio rolling on ground laughing, fasc.

 

[fascination]

and, as I have said before; sometimes in chemistry...things blow up

 

[cornutt]

and, as I have said before; sometimes in chemistry...things blow up

Reminds me of an old joke: Know your Natural Sciences!

If it's twitchy and slimy, it's biology.
If it blows up and smells bad, it's chemistry.
If it doesn't work, it's physics.

 

[chica latina]

Placing wise coach no 1 is much younger (my age) and placed higher thatn coach no 2.

Now... this makes me wonder, if we got it right. Some questions:

Why do you think you improved better when you train with coach #2? What does coach #1 covers in his lessons vs coach #2?

There could be the possibility that coach #1 is trying to teach you how to dance and is considering the big picture of things, before fixing details/visuals. Coach #2 may just be fixing details that will show right away but will not be as significant in long-term. Hope this makes sense

 

[samina]

and, as I have said before; sometimes in chemistry...things blow up

i love that analogy when you mention it...good one.

some kinds of chemistry aren't so volatile, tho. some are peaceful... or at least, easy. maybe those just fizzle rather than blow up?

meh... it's tricky business. you can't over-analyze it -- it's an intuitive thing to pick relationships based on chemistry.

 

[Purr]

I think this is a key point. Coach #2 might be a better teacher, dancer, and coach...and in the long run you might end up getting way more out of lessons with him, but...

If your emotional response to his teaching is getting in the way of your learning, and you're unable (for whatever reason) to ignore that or get past it or handle it, then I think you'd really need to do some serious soul searching to see if you want to continue with him. And your answer could very well be that you do want to continue, despite everything else--I'm not meaning to say that your conclusion is that you should quit with him. Everyone's got different "emotional pain" threshholds.

There is a lot of merit to this line of thinking. If you're consistently miserable in lessons with someone, I'd question continuing. It might be too much of an emotional juggernaut.