Question for teachers

[twnkltoz]

Teachers, when you go to other studios for a lesson and dance where they don't know you, do you tell them you teach? Ie, I go out of town from time to time to go dancing for a change of scenery. I don't usually tell anyone that I teach unless they ask me direct questions that force me to (I won't lie about it, I just won't volunteer it).

So, what do you do? If a teacher from another studio visited yours, what would you want them to do?

 

[Sagitta]

Why should you tell a person you teach? That has nothing to do with dancing socially.

 

[tasche]

It depends on what your trying to get out of the lesson. One advantage of not telling is you'll get an idea of how they handle the student-teacher dynamic

 

[etchuck]

If I get the lesson for free, I will tell.

Seriously, I don't usually tell anyone at a social or lesson outside of my own comfort zone that I volunteer-teach. I am usually there to observe teaching techniques as well as see what different teachers focus on. But in general I don't say anything and let my dancing speak for itself. Those of us who do teach can tell based on ability at the minimum.

 

[tsb]

in general, my perspective is that everyone should be king of their own castle, whether it be their home, or job (or studio). while i've had other instructor's students dance with me (while dancing at a dance in their studio) & ask me if i teach i've been careful never to do anything that could be construed as an attempt to steal someone else's students.

as i had once had one instructor's attitude towards me cool considerably when i attended a dance at his studio & it came up in conversation that i taught from time to time, not only do i not volunteer it, i sometimes phrase my response ambiguously when it seems like a good idea.