ceech
06-28-2008, 03:44 PM
It's now summer of 2008 and I've been teaching dance for about 12 years. I've taught at health clubs, dance studios, community colleges, and many other places. One of the biggest problem that I found is that people do not know how to find the right dance instructor.
Here is a typical situation : you find yourself watching a dance show on TV, and you get excited, so you want to go learn hip hop. What do you do ? You go online and search for the nearest dance studio from your house. You call the studio and ask "Do you have a hip hop class that I can take? and how much do you charge for your classes?" So you get all excited because they have a class and there is a spot for you and you can afford few classes.
I want to educate new dancers and arm you all with some questions. Do NOT be afraid to ask your instructors questions. So many instructors should not be teaching. Just because someone knows a few routines, does NOT make him or her a dance instructor. If your goal is to learn that particular choreography that instructor is teaching, then by all means, stay in that class. But if you want to learn to dance, ie., go to a dance club, or a dance event, and be able to listen to the music and move your body WITH the music, then spend some time to really find the right instructor for yourself.
The first question, everyone should ask their to be instructor is
1) Can I see you just dance ?
I want to see the instructor dance to the music and not just something that he/she choreographed or a choreography that he/she learned in the past. My personal belief is that if a person just dance freely without having to memorize a set choreographed move, then he/she can call himself/herself a dance instructor. And after seeing this person dance, then decide whether or not this style of dance is what you're looking for.
Hip hop has become such an umbrella term for all street styles of dance. Educate yourself to find out what each styles should look like. I've seen and heard of dance instructors teaching false information at studios and community colleges. So, I want to do my best to help educate young dancers with true knowledge.
I have taught my students to do this in all of my classes. I know that not every teacher is right for every students. My teaching style is not for everyone. I hope I able to share some true knowledge with y'all so that you can find the right teacher for your dance goals.
I look forward to hear many happy stories from y'all.
Here is a typical situation : you find yourself watching a dance show on TV, and you get excited, so you want to go learn hip hop. What do you do ? You go online and search for the nearest dance studio from your house. You call the studio and ask "Do you have a hip hop class that I can take? and how much do you charge for your classes?" So you get all excited because they have a class and there is a spot for you and you can afford few classes.
I want to educate new dancers and arm you all with some questions. Do NOT be afraid to ask your instructors questions. So many instructors should not be teaching. Just because someone knows a few routines, does NOT make him or her a dance instructor. If your goal is to learn that particular choreography that instructor is teaching, then by all means, stay in that class. But if you want to learn to dance, ie., go to a dance club, or a dance event, and be able to listen to the music and move your body WITH the music, then spend some time to really find the right instructor for yourself.
The first question, everyone should ask their to be instructor is
1) Can I see you just dance ?
I want to see the instructor dance to the music and not just something that he/she choreographed or a choreography that he/she learned in the past. My personal belief is that if a person just dance freely without having to memorize a set choreographed move, then he/she can call himself/herself a dance instructor. And after seeing this person dance, then decide whether or not this style of dance is what you're looking for.
Hip hop has become such an umbrella term for all street styles of dance. Educate yourself to find out what each styles should look like. I've seen and heard of dance instructors teaching false information at studios and community colleges. So, I want to do my best to help educate young dancers with true knowledge.
I have taught my students to do this in all of my classes. I know that not every teacher is right for every students. My teaching style is not for everyone. I hope I able to share some true knowledge with y'all so that you can find the right teacher for your dance goals.
I look forward to hear many happy stories from y'all.