Statements that your coaches have made with which you have disagreed

Larinda McRaven said:
As a business owner and a professional competition...I actually agree with both of those statements.

As a coach... if you want me to commit to you then you have to commit to me. Ify ou come in for one lesson I will teach you one lesson. Fair trade. If you want commitment to your progress, emotional investment, and my private time planning out your practice schedule and checking up on you then I expect the same of you towards me. One of my own coaches taught me that about fly by night students.

And as a competitor... going to a competition is expensive, if you are going to "just have fun" you might as well save your money by staying home for a Friday night party or showcase. (and stop complaining about the cost of a competition ;) )
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Then he went on to take phone calls regarding his car insurance during out lesson (which took about 5-10 minutes out of the lesson) yet we still had to pay.
 
Larinda McRaven said:
His inattention to you on your paying lessons... THAT is a reason not to go back. But comparing a teachers long term commitment to his own regularly scheduled and paying clients instead of a one time lesson is not.
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I don't know... to simply say that (if and) when I see you next time, try to get your routines more complete, or improve your rhythm or connections.... that would have been polite and shown they appreciate me.
 
snapdancer said:
Please expound on that thought.
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Teachers are people you actually learn something from. Coaches just send you to play dodge ball while they read the newspaper.

Get all these competition types playing dodge ball somewhere else, and there will be a lot more floor space for the rest of us.
 
The competition types wouldn't be a problem if they used their awesome coach-inspired dance skills to fit their dancing in with everyone else's dancing.
 
hmm.....I guess this would be my thought on a coach who said that non competing students are a waste of time...my thought would be: "why didn't my pro or the studio owners find that out in advance"?...I mean if they brought in the coach and told the coach who they would be coaching, it clearly isn't your fault that the coach doesn't value your choice not to compete...

I do think it is fair to ask what to work on until the next time...just as it is fair to say, "well, that depends upon whether or not we know when the next time is"
 
A teacher is a professional dancer or advanced amateur who takes a student or couple and teaches them steps, lead and follow , posture, floor craft etc the bread and butter of all dancing including social snd competitive

A coach is a professional dancer only typically high level who takes a student, couple or another professional dancer and their pro or am partner and refines the technical component and showmanship of their dancing

Coaches don't teach steps they refine the steps you know. Most social dancers don't care that their femur has to arrive over the toe before the settling of the hip can commence in a rumba walk in Latin . Most latin coaches will hit you with a stick (figuratively) if you don't do this

Coaches who show you a new routine are called choreographers btw
 
I think that you would agree that good technique makes social dancing better, even if your partner-for-the-song doesn't have the technique will find you easier to dance with. Are you saying that some technique is more for show rather than improved partnering?
 
Yes your partner would not know if your femur arrives over the toe before the hip settles in an open Latin rumba walk during a choreographed competitive routine. But a judge will See my point?

And yes. As one who started out and still social dances a lot I always get "wow you made me do a step I've never learned " that's from years of teaching and coaching

My teacher taught me the step. My coach may have refined the technique if said step was ever used competitively
 
Mr 4 styles said:
Yes your partner would not know if your femur arrives over the toe before the hip settles in an open Latin rumba walk during a choreographed competitive routine. But a judge will See my point?
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Well, I don't really understand that. But can accept it if you say so. I'm still in the stage of improving technique that does make my leads better.

Mr 4 styles said:
And yes. As one who started out and still social dances a lot I always get "wow you made me do a step I've never learned " that's from years of teaching and coaching
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Reminds me of a recent conversation I had with a less-experienced follow "LEF".

LEF: You make us do things.
Snapdancer: I can't make you do anything.
LEF: {starts to argue}
Snapdancer: Have you ever tried to put a coat on a 3-year-old child who didn't want to wear the coat?
LEF: {gets my point}
 
I've come to realize that I don't like the way my old instructor used to describe how motion should be communicated through the frame. It's kind of hard to explain, but her theory was that all motion, linear and rotational, should come from the center of the sternum. Because of it, I've always had trouble leading certain turns, because I was overly self-conscious about "pushing" from one side or the other, but particularly from the left side. So if, say, I intended to do a waltz natural turn, my partner never got a clean lead -- she felt one thing happen down low and a different thing up top. I sort of understand why she taught that, because you don't want to be shoving your partner around with your arms. But working with my current instructor I've come to realize that most of the time you have to lead with one side or the other, and if you try to keep it all centered, your partner will never feel an indication to turn or sway one way or the other.
 
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