Encouraging Dance Students to Explore Different Styles and Teachers

I have been very happy to have taken from a large variety of dance instructors and dance styles over the last 20 years of my dance journey.   There have been quite a few instructors that I have really enjoyed their work and only a few that did not go so well.  The variety of styles range from Egyptian and Turkish bellydance, Persian, Khaleegy, Odissi, Bharatanatyam, American Tribal Style, Improvisational Tribal Style, Flamenco, West African Dance, Jazz, Hip Hop, the list goes on.  The variety of dance classes I have participated in has really cultivated my love for dance, my artistic expression and my teaching style.  It has been fulfilling, challenging, and beautiful.  This is why I encourage my students and troupe members to take other dance forms and from other instructors.

I would love to think this is common, but over the years I have witnessed this not being standard practice. I have had one of my own troupe members take great issue when I suggested another instructor in town while I was gearing down for a break before the surgery I had on my brain tumor (explanation on this below).  I have also heard from other students who stated that their belly dance teachers refused to allow them to take any workshops from out of town instructors or classes from local teachers.  They would face humilating reprocussions, I was told by several.  They were even discouraged from attending local events unless it was mandated by their teacher. I have spend alot of time reflecting about this.

Why will I continue to encourage students to explore options in dance?

1. As in one of my previous blog post , I do not teach in order to make money. So if a student or troupe mate finds a different style or teacher that is more convenient or more in line of what they are looking for, that is a good thing.  It is about them, not me.  I have said before that I may not be the right teacher for everyone and this may not be the right style. No harm, no foul.  Dance should be a beautiful addition not a stressful event.

2. Different styles will add to the current style they are studying. For example, Flamenco helped me so much with my arm work and posture for American Tribal Style.  Rajasthani helped me with my spinning technique. Jazz and hip hop added transitional moves to my fusion dance style, etc.

3. Choreography has flowed much more smoothly since I have a large base of movements and styles to choose from. Taking new classes in different styles may also assist my students whether they are working on solo or group choreography.

How have I been able to assist a student with finding other instructors and styles?

1. I take classes and workshops from other instructors in other styles. It gives me good information based on my own experience.

2. I network with other instructors.  I often speak with other instructors and ask them questions about their training and classes.  Some get very upset with me for this, but how can I successfully recommend another teacher if they are unwilling to share information with me and why would I take their classes/workshops if they are so secretive about their training and current style.   For example, I had asked an instructor what style do the teach because the advertising was vague.  They said, you now, the "real"tribal.  Ok, but what does that mean exactly, everyone else's is fake? Or is "real" the name of the instructor you learned from? I spoke another teacher who advertised that she taught "tribal fusion" but could not explain to me what tribal was or what she was fusing it with.  This sort of information is very useful when looking for an instructor in a particular style, in my opinion.  Hopefully networking with other instructors will lead to a productive exchange of information that could be useful to the community.

3. I have also checked on a few references that some teachers list on their page or verbally state as their main teachers or mentors. While many have been backed up, I have found some inconsistent information being relayed.  It is embarrassing to ask a highly ranked professional about so-and-so listing them as their main instructor and getting the reply, "Who the fuck is that?"  I always make sure that if I list someone as a mentor than they actually know me and can vouch for me.  And I generally do not list a "teacher" or "mentor" unless they do know me and can articulate my training with them to others.  And if I have taken less than than 10 workshops with out of town instructors, I generally don't list them in my instructors section at all. I may list them as having "taken a worshop with" or "a few workshops with."  That is my philosophy.  I never want anyone to hear the dreaded "Who the fuck is that?" or get the blank stare I've seen when they ask about someone I have credited with my dance technique.

4. Attendance at shows to see the dance style of the instructor in person has been useful too. Being able to witness and support the artistry of others is a fun and truly beautiful thing.

5. Checking out webpages and videos, if no other options are available, has been a useful tool as well.  You can usually find out, at least some, information online.

What helps me recommend another teacher if the above has not occurred?

1.  If I am in a show with them or hosting a show they are dancing in, it helps if they are professional with the promoter and other dancers. Specifically they are on time to the event, they are nice backstage and supportive of other dancers and promoter.  I have seen some rough and tumble arguments and rude behavior backstage that has been very influential in my ability to recommend another instructor.  On the flip side, I have met some amazingly lovely dancers/instructors backstage that I can talk up and recommend with sincerity.

2. They have not tried to poach students or troupe members from me or other instructors/directors that I know.  This is what prompted my troupe mate to get irritated with me for recommending that other teacher when I was ill. I recommended someone who was known to be a poacher and she was very unhappy about that.  And I get it.  The goal of teaching dance is at it's most beautiful when it is treated as art and not a business or a presidential campaign. However, looking at this through an artistic lens and thinking solely about my student's growth, I felt since I would be in recovery for a few months, it was not fair to recommend another local instructor, even if they had not been nice to me in the past and had tried the unethical practices of poaching.  I learned my lesson on this one through my troupe mates anger.

3.  Finally I am always honest with the student.  I have stated at times that I do not have anyone specific to recommend  based on my own experience but I always encourage them to give a new style or instructor a try on their own, if they are interested.

While I have some general guidelines on how I recommend teachers, I will still continue to do so whenever I can.  I will still explain to my students about other dance styles and music and instructors, locally and out of state, which can help them grow as an artist.  In some ways, I am saddened that this is not standard practice, but I don't mind standing out in this regard.  I love dance in all it's forms and I wish to help others feel the love too. If my students do not want to take another style or from another teacher, that is totally their choice.  Again it's about them, not me.  But I do like to be supportive and provide options when they want them. Feel free to leave your opinions and/or advice on how you handle this issue as a student and/or a dance teacher.

The NV Republican Caucus

So after the fiasco of the NV Democratic Caucus, I decided to attend the GOP Caucus a few days later as an observer.  I was granted approval and was surprised at how different the process and the vibe was. I attended the same caucus location but witnessed a completely different event.

THE LINES:
Similar to the Democratic Caucus, they had super long lines outside the school that wrapped around the building and out to the street. But the lines moved quicker for the GOP attendees.

THE PROCESS
Very different.   You had to have registered to vote as a Republican 10 days prior.  Unlike the Democrats, you could not register onsite.   If you knew who you wanted to vote for, you would go into the school, vote and leave.  If you were Undecided or if you wanted to become a delegate, you would go into the gym, sit in your precinct area and wait. This is where some very interesting conversations about the candidates took place.  Voting took place between 5pm and 7pm.  Speeches between 6pm and 7pm.  Undecided voting and assignment of delegates between 7pm and 9pm.

THE REPRESENTATIVES
Each of the five candidates had a table and representatives there to discuss issues, hand out lawn signs, and bumper stickers.  However the Ben Carson representatives were not there until a couple of hours into the event. There was a congressman from California stumping for Cruz. There was a last minute addition of Donald Trump's son.  He was walking around talking with people briefly, including me.  I had no idea who he was until he walked away. When I was told I had to run up and tell him that I was a Democrat, say "Cheese."  It was pretty funny.

THE CONVERSATIONS
What I appreciated the most about the Republican caucus was the conversations around the room.  I walked around for a bit and chatted with different groups.  And then sat down with a few and listened.  They were very cordial with each other.  In all the people I spoke with, most were on the fence between Cruz and Trump.  There was some concern for Cruz's ability to play fair and tell the truth.  This was the same day he fired someone in his camp due to inaccurate ads running.  The speech his representative gave received a loud thunderous applause.

Ben Carson and Marco Rubio's name came up the least amount of times, unless I was speaking with their representatives directly. No one made any comments about religious issues or women's rights issues.

The speech from Kasich's camp was also received very well, it was all about a balanced budget.  However many did not think he could survive very long as a candidate so they were not going to vote for him.  This speaks alot to the idea that we should only vote for the one we think will win instead of decided who will win by voting our conscience.  I think both sides do this, unfortunately.

As for Donald Trump, many that liked him cited it was because of his "mouth."  He was not afraid to let it rip.  Many agreed that his mouth is what is giving him the most press and that is getting him supporters. Some though he was pure comedy and were thinking it would be fun to have him as a President due to that. One woman told me that as American children we have never been taught to be politically correct. This is only expected of us as we grew into adulthood and she thought that was wrong. We should be allowed to be our children selves and say whatever we want without repercussions.  Quite a few that were thinking about voting for Trump because of his mouth also cited that his mouth is what could get us into wars with foreign countries.  Now there were some opinions that the American War Machine was a good thing because it feeds our economy. However not everyone thought so.  Many commented on how he flip flops in his opinions but it was just comments and no one seemed too concerned about that.

Overall, this caucus ran smoother than the Democratic one a few days earlier. There was no yelling or intimidation here.  There was thoughtful discussion and a smoother process.  I did read reports that not all sites were like that.  But that would be expected.  The only thing I saw that looked off was the ballot. They must have printed these awhile ago.

It was funny because some of the Republicans there used the ballot to quiz me on who was still in the race and I passed their quizzes. No one seemed to have any issue with me being there as a Democrat who was also a Delegate for Bernie Sanders. They asked me questions about what I thought of their candidates and I was pretty frank about it.  No one flipped out.  I did hear some negative comments about Hillary and when I asked a few who they would vote for on the Democratic side I only heard the name Bernie.

I did meet a couple of people who said they voted for Jeb, even though he wasn't running anymore. They wanted him back, I suppose. But then this is why it's important to get out to the Primaries and Caucuses.  The decision on who will run for President of the United States is in your hands at this point.  Every vote counts at every site.  It is easy to give up on the process, but regardless on what side of the aisle you are on, please don't.

How the Tactics at a Caucus Can Sway My Ultimate Vote

The Presidential candidates have hit Las Vegas hard these last couple of weeks.  Honestly, I have only paid close attention to the progressive side.  However now that I have witnessed the tactics from the Left, I am open to paying closer attention the Right.  The caucus is usually a place where you can discuss the issues and receive information from all sides of the campaign in a humane, respectful, and intelligent way.  Unfortunately that was not the case yesterday during the Nevada Democratic Caucus.

The caucus sites were understaffed and untrained, the volume of participants were much larger than they anticipated which caused some disappointing issues.  However, one of my biggest concerns was the lying and deceit that had taken place in Nevada, yet only the Reno paper wants to report on it. Southern Nevada is ignoring it.  I feel that could change some minds, including my own, if they were to hear that the Clinton side is using Rove/Bush tactics to move forward. It is so disenchanting.  I am grateful to those who took photos and video of what happened at the various Nevada Democratic Caucus sites.  See the Reno Gazette's list of issues per caucus location.  Also an article with photos of Clinton's logo on the sign in sheets and video of the Clinton supporters being allowed into the caucus without registering. They were told they can register after the caucus. The Clinton supporters were even outed as they impersonated a nurses union which has openly supported Sanders.   There were reports of so much mayhem and disorganization,  it is embarrassing, not just for Nevada but for the Clinton supporters who had no problem with using deceptive tactics to secure a win for her.  I find it challenging to want to support her under these conditions.

At my caucus site, the Clinton supporters screamed and yelled when you asked them any questions.  And the screaming and yelling were not the answers to the questions, it was a STFU tactic.  They put their fingers in their ears and yelled "Lalalalalalalalala."  They talked loudly during the reading of the letter from Sanders.  Basically they did not show any respect for the process or for anyone other than their side.  After some research this does look like tactics. Full disclosure:  last caucus which ran much smoother, I became a delegate for Clinton.  This time I became one for the more respectful side of Sanders.  At the site one of my trusted friends was at in Las Vegas, the Clinton supporters took all the chairs in the room and would only let you sit on one if you voted for Clinton.  The Sanders supporters had to sit on the floor.  So childish and disrespectful.

Now what, after the Nevada Democratic caucus for me? Well all this ugliness from Clinton's camp has caused me to now look at the other side, the Republican side, just in case I may change ultimately my mind.  I have always been open to listening to all sides of an issue and during election years. So I invite any one who has been following the Republican candidates and have some talking points about your favorite candidate to post about them here.  

Dance Teachers Taking Classes

I am a perpetual student. I love to take classes on new styles and subjects as well as the styles I have been doing for more than a decade.  It keeps me up to date on new techniques, moves, teaching styles, music, etc.  I get to stay in touch with other teachers and students.  My humble nature never feels like I know every single thing out there.  The reason I started hosting events in town was so I can bring out teachers in styles that I enjoy for myself and my students. 

However, I have been criticized for posting about the classes and workshops I have taken over the years.  Other dancers and teachers have told me that a "true" "professional" would never tell anyone that she/he is taking a workshop or class.  Ever.  It supposedly made me look less than "perfect," less than "proficient" and less than a "good teacher."  I used to post inspirational quotes from the instructors I have taken on my whiteboard in my classes.  Some of my own students would roll their eyes at me for this, others would snicker, one even laughed out loud at me, and one asked me to "just stop it."  The reaction was the same when I would credit another teacher with a technique that I learned, even if it was just during warm up.  I know I have lost more than one student over the years due to this and have had several "teachers" throw negative words my way, usually on my Facebook page, twice in person, several times behind my back.

Throughout all these obstacles and blows to my faith in learning, I pushed through and kept going.  I will never stop taking classes.  I will never stop learning.  I will never stop sharing the inspiration and techniques I have learned other teachers.  And above all else I will never stop crediting the teachers I have learned from. Ever.

Lately though I have stopped posting about classes I would like to take, even though my heart yearns for new styles of dance and new directions to take it.  And even though I have been in search of new teachers I have held back my public requests for information.  I have been thinking about this and it has really irritated me.  Why should I be changing due to others dislike of my thirst for new knowledge?  And why should I not share the inspiration and information I have learned with others?  Should I only reserve this information for a small selection of friends that are dancers?  Or even friends that are not?  Why is this frowned up so much?  Is it only in the bellydance world that it is unwise for a teacher to have a continuous journey of learning?  Is it only the bellydance community that wants their teachers to act like they know everything all the time and not give credit where credit is due?  Or are these criticisms I have received based on someone's personal or professional envy over not taking more classes and workshops on their own?  Do they feel that I should keep my learning to myself because they feel jealous? Or do they think I am grandstanding? 

My goals are to continue to learn and grow in dance and I do not need the applause for it.  However I do not enjoy the criticism.  But as I move forward in this next phase of my life I will try to take it with an understanding that the motive of the ones giving the critique are not important, unless they would like to share their rationale with me.  It will no longer be analyzed or taken to heart.  I will not remain silent about learning from other dance teachers.  It is what keeps me motivated and excited.  And I will state to those who oppose this point of view that I am sorry.  I never mean to offend only to educate and inspire. If you need to move on, I wish you well on your own path as I hope you wish me well on mine.  Dance should be a beautiful creative expression of life, not a blemish to pick apart, in my opinion.  If you wish to share your opinion with me, I will listen.