Your Dance Teacher

[Dancebug]

Having heard a recent gossip about the top professional standard couple who almost broke up due to a partner’s misbehavior, I wonder about this. Do you have respect for your coach(es) as a person? I mean, I bet all of your coaches and teachers are wonderful dancers. But are they respectable humans? Is there anything else except dancing that you learn from them? Is there anything else that you find wonderful about them? Or does it not matter to you as long as they can teach you to be a better dancer?

I have had five private teachers so far, and I found all of them wonderful except one. The one teacher was my fist private teacher, and I stopped taking lessons with him long before I found out his problems. If I had known his problems, I would not like to keep taking lessons with him, though, I think. But the other teachers are not only wonderful dancers/teachers, but I also find there are other things to learn from them and I have very high regard for them. I think even if I had not met them through dancing, I would be very happy to have them as my friends.

 

[fascination]

my pro readily admits that there was a time when he wasnt a very swell fellow...I find him to be and exceptional person with a deep spirituality, diverse interests and sharp intellect, an excellent teacher- articulate ,patient and compassionate but with very high standards, and an awesome dancer....our most frequent coach is also a top notch fabulous woman who in spite of many personal trials always gives us her best...

 

[mamboqueen]

I would just as soon as not know any of my teacher's personal business. And unless he was a complete jerk to me, I can't see liking him any less than I do!

 

[alemana]

i made a voodoo doll version of my teacher and every night i stab it over and over until i fall asleep.


hi, that's a joke.

 

[waltzgirl]

I do respect my teacher as a person. I don't think I could take lessons on an ongoing basis from someone I didn't like and respect. One of the things I respect about him is his professionalism. We don't talk much about personal things at all, but over the years you can't help observing how someone lives his life and I've certainly grown in respect as I've seen him make various choices. He's quite a few years younger than I am, so I don't feel like he's a mentor to me in anything but dance. But he is a very astute psychologist and has an excellent grasp of the interpersonal aspects of teaching dance, which I really appreciate.

 

[wyllo]

I expect my dance teachers to behave professionally in lessons and I want to be able to have a friendly relationship with them. That doesn't mean we have to be best buddies or even interact outside of the studio. What they do on their own time is their own business, but I suspect that if he/she had a behavior problem that I would find offensive, it would probably be apparent during lessons.

 

[fascination]

yes...I appreciate that a teacher with a keen intellect outside of the studio has a capacity to bring analogies into the lesson that are useful from his/ her own full life...which I think also plays into that instructors ability to be healthy and balanced in the studio, like the rest of us...if my pro shares, it is usually toward some dance analogy but b/c I see him so often, I end up learning alot both personally and as a student...and I respect what I've learned

 

[hello]

I wonder if a person's morals and ethics are somehow subtlely ingrained in their dancing style? An aggressive dancer is aggressive in other areas of his/her life? A gentle dancer is gentle toward others? Is one's personality reflected in dance? Or is dance a mask, a vessel to express opposite or contrasting attributes? A shy person comes out of their shell through dance, or a snake hides behind a demure dance style?

My group instructor is a beautiful dancer and beautiful person on the inside. I think her dancing reflects her pure heart.

 

[Sagitta]

I expect my dance teachers to behave professionally in lessons and I want to be able to have a friendly relationship with them. That doesn't mean we have to be best buddies or even interact outside of the studio. What they do on their own time is their own business, but I suspect that if he/she had a behavior problem that I would find offensive, it would probably be apparent during lessons.

True..very true...I've discovered, myself.

 

[RIdancer82]

If I can't get myself to have at least a certain level of respect for an instructor, I wouldn't call him/her a coach. I would leave it as a teacher. To me, the title of coach refers to sooo much more than just someone who teaches technique and steps, etc. A coach helps you to dress and look appropriate at comps/performances. They help you learn how to carry and present yourself as a dancer. They help you to overcome obstacles in your dancing and sometimes in your personal life (depending on the situation). Overall, they help you to find yourself and to understand how to present that through your dancing.

Would I want someone that I have no respect for doing all that??? absolutely not.

 

[motardmom]

It's been a while since I had a lesson, actually. But speaking about the past instructors I've had...

I generally gravitated towards instructors I respected (or had no reason not to respect). The instructor I learned the most from, however... we had some conflict periodically. When things off of the floor were going smoothy, the instruction went smoothly. But when things off the floor were conflicted, I shut down and stopped lessons until he pulled himself together. I think the longest I went like that... hmmm... I think I missed 4 consecutive lessons with him once. (It wasn't very long, I was having twice-a-week lessons then.)

Generally speaking (in dance or in life) I have difficulty embracing people I do not respect for whatever reason. It's a personality flaw, I need to love them despite their faults. One day I will overcome this flaw. In situations like dance instruction, I - like MQ - would prefer to not know what goes on with my instructor that doesn't pertain to me or the lesson. When it affects me or the lesson, it can develop into a real problem.

 

[fascination]

I wonder if a person's morals and ethics are somehow subtlely ingrained in their dancing style? An aggressive dancer is aggressive in other areas of his/her life? A gentle dancer is gentle toward others? Is one's personality reflected in dance? Or is dance a mask, a vessel to express opposite or contrasting attributes? A shy person comes out of their shell through dance, or a snake hides behind a demure dance style?

My group instructor is a beautiful dancer and beautiful person on the inside. I think her dancing reflects her pure heart.

I think so...personally, I dont want to be a good dancer badly enough to pay a morally reprehesible instructor...and I spend so many hours a week withy mine that I am sure I couldnt do it if I didn't like him as a person and that many hours a week I'm gonna get to know even the most professional to a degree

 

[fascination]

i made a voodoo doll version of my teacher and every night i stab it over and over until i fall asleep.


hi, that's a joke.

rushing off to fabric store :car:

 

[fascination]

It's been a while since I had a lesson, actually. But speaking about the past instructors I've had...

I generally gravitated towards instructors I respected (or had no reason not to respect). The instructor I learned the most from, however... we had some conflict periodically. When things off of the floor were going smoothy, the instruction went smoothly. But when things off the floor were conflicted, I shut down and stopped lessons until he pulled himself together. I think the longest I went like that... hmmm... I think I missed 4 consecutive lessons with him once. (It wasn't very long, I was having twice-a-week lessons then.)

Generally speaking (in dance or in life) I have difficulty embracing people I do not respect for whatever reason. It's a personality flaw, I need to love them despite their faults. One day I will overcome this flaw. In situations like dance instruction, I - like MQ - would prefer to not know what goes on with my instructor that doesn't pertain to me or the lesson. When it affects me or the lesson, it can develop into a real problem.

nah, MM I dont think its a flaw...its a sign of integrity...you can will yourself to love someone all day long but theres no harm in not feeling like being in their arms when you are displeased with them...as for personal disclosure...my pro doesnt do alot of it...but I guess the amt doesnt matter to me so much as the reason...if its toward a dance analogy great...if its before the lesson, fine...but I think that varies from student/instructor to student/ instructor depending upon many many factors...

 

[SPratt74]

Generally speaking (in dance or in life) I have difficulty embracing people I do not respect for whatever reason. It's a personality flaw, I need to love them despite their faults. One day I will overcome this flaw. In situations like dance instruction, I - like MQ - would prefer to not know what goes on with my instructor that doesn't pertain to me or the lesson. When it affects me or the lesson, it can develop into a real problem.

I feel the same way! I don't know, but I can't bring myself to love someone that I don't respect, and I can't bring myself to show respect for them if I don't love or care for them any! I think the older that you get, you realize that you don't need people in your life that are going to treat you like crap. I think that is ok too, and you shouldn't have to feel as though you need to apologize for your feelings, because they are your feelings, and no one can control how you feel or expect you to feel differently just cause they don't agree with you by chance!