Pro/am Showcase preparation in the studio drama – saw the other side of my teacher.

anntennis

anntennis

Active Member
Today is the day for my Swing showcase. I wonder how I’ll do, because preparation for that really made see my teacher in completely different light. I adored my teacher and was looking forward to my lessons with him. Now I realize that I need re- evaluate my training completely in the future. I saw a very tired man, who simply needs to extract as much money as possible, even though I already knew all the steps.

It was a tormented preparation.

He kept saying that he needs three months, but did prepare the showcase in one (2 lessons, sometimes 3 a week in extremely crowded NYC studio floor, total 8 lessons.). Routine is only one minute and half, but very fast.


I was training with another instructor only for 3 month in International Dance/Standard, and he was able to do a showcase (demonstration students’ talents, pro-am shows in the studio) in only 6 lessons with the steps that I already know. The showcase was great, and I did really well. All together took about 20 lessons with him, learning steps in various dances and Waltz Standard showcase only 6 lessons.

The difference in training was so obvious.

That is one of the reasons, which is better not to buy a lot of lessons in advance, as I did with my Swing Studio. In the past I was buying 20 lessons packaged deals. You get committed to lessons and no money back.
Even though the package is cheaper, the savings does not worth the freedom of choice in the long run. It is not good, when you are not looking forward to your privates anymore, but basically have to take them now, because you paid in advance


I feel so emotionally exhausted after preparation, and constant fights. I was told over and over again that I do not know anything about choreography, so I should not give him advice how long should preparation of the showcase take, that I made him work so hard, that no other student had, and so on.

At one point he suddenly jumped and started squeezing my neck so hard, that I had to use strength to push him away and yelled at him never to do it again . He said it was a joke and he needed to demonstrate who the leader was, to enhance my following skills, and it was something to laugh it off.
Do you believe it to be normal? I probably got on his nerves by pressuring him into a fast showcase.

Since I know about the other teacher and studio, and how light and enjoyable my experience was, I have something to compare how preparation for the showcase could be – light, fun, all that dancing should be about.
 
I can't really speak to the entire preparation of the showcase issue because I have never done one and, frankly, we're just hearing your version of events (not questioning that they're right or wrong, mind you), but when I get to the part where someone puts their hands around someone's neck, there is no way, in my mind, that that sort of behavior is justifiable, even in a joking around mentality. With his response, I would have asked if it is an appropriate teaching method to lead his dancers around by the neck. And then ask him to show you the book where that is written.
 
I agree with mamboqueen about the neck issue and that may be a sign he's a bad teacher, but I see nothing wrong with putting in more time on a showcase performance than needed to "learn the steps." The point of doing a routine, at least from my perspective, is to focus intently on one dance and specific steps so that your technique in those areas shoots up. You should definitely have the choreography down after two or three lessons, but choreography is only the start. The rest of the package should focus on how you're dancing the choreography, not what you're dancing.

Of course if you're not getting that from this teacher, it's time to switch.
 
I agree with suburbaknght. Last showcase I did we had the choreography done in two weeks and then spent the next couple months honing the technique for it. However I would have major questions about a pro if they put their hands around my neck. Odds are I would end up locking their arm up. My pro is welcome to touch me anywhere they like except I suprise grab to my throat (I'm just super sensitive about that one for some reason).
 
At one point he suddenly jumped and started squeezing my neck so hard, that I had to use strength to push him away and yelled at him never to do it again . He said it was a joke and he needed to demonstrate who the leader was, to enhance my following skills, and it was something to laugh it off.
Do you believe it to be normal? I probably got on his nerves by pressuring him into a fast showcase.
Click to expand...


This section of your post strikes me very strongly. I'm only able to base my comments on what you wrote, and how I interpret it, I wasn't there, and there could have been other things that you know and I don't. That said: him laying his hands on you in anger is totally unacceptable. The only time that violence is acceptable is in war, self defense, or defense of an innocent third party. His actions, as I read them, is minimally assault (and/or battery, depending upon your local laws), possibly attempted murder (what other purpose is there for strangling someone?) and good reason to leave his studio and never dance with him, again.

A few years ago, I had a slightly similar thing happen - I was playing a table-top game with some friends. One of those friends, whom I had known for 4 years,dove across the table to strangle me. He never figured out that what he did was wrong. This ended our friendship.

You know what's happening better than I do. But be very, very careful with your train of thought: unless you physically attacked him, he had no business trying to murder you.
 
Well, I think that if this made you feel that uncomfortable, then you should probably think about leaving this teacher for good. He went overboard in my opinion, and I would not put up with it. We weren't there to know, but still. If you had to tell him to stop, then something went horribly wrong. If he has that kind of a temper, it's not one to be messed with jokingly or not. So, it's up to you of course, but I'm not one to put up with that kind of treatment from anyone. Can you try to talk to the owner first, or do you not feel comfortable doing so?
 
Between this and your other thread...it sounds like you are simply unhappy with this teacher, don't mesh with his personality, and don't feel you are getting what you want out of lessons with him. Whether or not he's doing anything objectively wrong, none of us can say as we're not there (heck, I've had teachers/coaches who would joke-grab for the neck--NEVER hard enough to hurt, but kidding around so I have no idea what his intentions in this situation were) but the point is, are you happy dancing with him and satisfied you're recieving value for your money. If not, it wouldn't matter if he was a fantastic teacher, you should dance with someone else.

I also agree with Larinda regarding choreography. When I think of choreography I don't think of just repeating my sylabus routine. I think, at one lesson a week, my first show dance took a couple months or more to put together, even though it was basically the bronze routine with some tricks thrown in. There weren't even *any* fancy lifts or dips in my Smooth showcase and that also took several weeks to work out.
 
One of the bigger moments in my dance education happened when my coach told me, in a situation similar to this, that dancer couples keep their routines for years, and in his opinion did not start to look good until after one year - and he was talking about highly placed Champions!

Is it possible that you are misinterpreting his concern that you are not looking good enough in your routine and he is not getting through to you - after all, you are paying him for his perspective on it....
 
It doesn't really matter who is right or wrong - it's just very clear that you and your swing teacher are just not right for each other.
 
Thank you for all your replies about the subject. Very interesting and very different.

The Swing showcase went well though, but it was not worth so many nerves on my site. After all, it is only a dance.

I agree with an ideal teacher- student fantasy to be broken by reality analogy. I took too many lessons from the same studio, the same instructor, and perhaps developed an attachment and "adoration" for the teacher. Showcase required some pressure, and behavior changed. Neck episode showed some psychotic unexpected behavior from a favorite teacher.

When my package is over (in about 5 lessons), I'll try various studios and teachers for Swing /Hustle/WCS lessons.




 
There is a vary famous book by French classic Émile Zola and movie when there is a clinical case of a sick man who has strong wish to squeeze the woman’s throat, and he kills a few woman in the story by squeezing their throats.

In the book, that character works as a train conductor, has a normal life otherwise, but has that uncontrollable desire to go for a woman throat once in a while to kill.

That is a clinical case. Famous author Émile Zola was a doctor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Émile_Zola#Literary_output

My mom is so concerned about neck episode that she wants me to leave the studio without ending my package ($425 to give as a gift to the studio- 5 lessons?) and refers to that book a few times. She keeps saying that that kind of behavior can be completely uncontrollable, and that person does not know what he is doing, and than it is too late.

My mother believes that my teacher suffers from the same syndrome as described by Émile Zola in the novel, just not, perhaps, in such severe case as in the book.

She thinks it was not a joke at all.

I do not take it that seriously as her, I think she is exaggerating. and definitely would like take my remaining package. Also, I am in my late thirties, not a teenager.

After all, I took lessons with him for the whole year, and he was a good teacher until I put so much pressure with my Swing showcase, which I wanted desperately to be done now, in June, not some time in unspecified future, since I am busy for the rest of the summer.
 
If you fight for it, I'd be willing to bet that you can get your money back.

And, yeah, I'd leave the studio. You're not happy in the least, regardless of if it's justified or not. It's not a good fit, and your unhappy. But beyond that, there is no reason for a teacher to do that to you. None, whatsoever. Period. Find a new teacher and don't look back.
 
Larinda McRaven said:
Honey, I am in my thirites also. A man put his hands on my throat three years ago. He went to prison. This is no joke.
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Given the martial arts training you've mentioned, did he go to the hospital first?

Anntennis--while I think your mother probably is overreacting a tad (have there been any OTHER indications that your teacher is a homicidal maniac?), you could get your money back if you made an issue of it. You're not happy, go someplace else. Life is too short to waste your time.
 
Doubt the guy is a serial killer. But it's definitely a legit reason to get out of a contract and limit contact with the guy. I think your mom is overreacting a bit and you are underreacting a bit.
 
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