1st Monday- Back to Dance!

I was so excited the night before our first day back to dance, I couldn't sleep.  I think I might have had too much time off from the studio and I was beginning to miss everyone.  Which, IS a good thing!  However, I was having a hard time getting back into my teaching groove.  Four weeks off without any teaching can make one fumble on their words.  I think some of my new students thought I was CRAZY!  I would rather be crazy than boring.

This year I have set some major goals for my NEW company dancers.  I have had them since they were little and they are developing into very good dancers.  However, they HATE Ballet.  I am OK with the word HATE and BALLET and I know how they felt at that age.  However, I do know that technique is a must and will only make them better dancers in the end.  Put this together with a group of teens and it is enough to make your head spin.  So being the organizational freak that I am, I decided posting/handing out a list of the rules along with their consequences would not only serve as a reminder, but I couldn't be posed with the excuse "but I didn't know."  We went through the rules and I said although I have been lax in the past, this will not happen this year.  I will actively be paying attention to those rules and they will be pointed out along the way.  With this said, I think they got my drift.  For once during class they were very quiet. I am coming to believe that they are starting to focus more and take their dance studies more seriously.  Their retention from the summer is unbelievable and I have started to see a change.  This makes me very excited. 

Now on to the rest of my week.  I get the evening off for good behavior (HA!) and tomorrow I will teach my much older students.  I am excited about seeing them, but the excitement of the little ones faces on their first day of dance class is my ultimate reward.  Stay tuned!

Loss of students... beginning of a new year!

I know I just began my blogging experience, and I am sure most of you will say "why is she blogging about something so serious OR political?"  Well to be honest with you in my little bubble of a world, it is not!  Since June I have lost a few promising students for one reason or another.  Those reasons in the grand scheme of things do not matter. 

Initially, like most anyone would, I blow my gasket.  In private of course.  I vent to those around me who will listen and I know don't necessarily care about what I am saying (some do).  They however, care about me and will let me blow my fuse! Once the seas have calmed, I have this repetitious thought that goes through my head: THEY ARE ONLY KIDS!  Kids will be kids and they have to live with their decisions.  Even though I do not necessarily think that the decision they are making is right or the right thing for their dance career, I still respect that they too are going through the journey of life and need to learn to make decisions that they feel are the best for them.  I hope all of them grow and learn the most they can learn as productive members of society and as dancers.

The only thing I can learn from with said experiences is not to react like an out of control fool (in private of course) and say to my self, retroactively of course, THEY ARE ONLY KIDS!

Anywho, THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

So as the new year approaches I have some exciting ideas and terrific opportunities and most importantly some great students to see and work with!  First of all I get to co-teach with one of my BFFEs.  Some will say, not good... don't work with friends, but we are two peas in a pod... salt and pepper... bread and butter... we are "NAPPYTABS!"  We go to together... like ramamlama...OK I will stop here!  This girl and I go WAY back... to having about 3 different jobs together.  When I say different, we have Nannied together, worked retail and now teach dance together!  GOOD TIMES!  I have all the faith in the world that we will come up with something out of this world!  Who knows maybe we will channel all three of our shared work experiences into one great big wacky contemporary number! HA!

In other news... most know I am getting married next year!  3 of my co-workers will be in my wedding as they are a huge part my family and I want more than anything for them to be up there with me on that special day!  Dancewise, I don't know how we are going to fit in... dress fittings, bridal showers, bachelorette parties... but no matter what, we will have fun trying to work it all in! 

For now my personal life and dance life are quite exciting!  I can't wait until next Monday!  It will certainly enhance the brilliance of these posts.  I hope to see some wonderful shining stars next week, ready and eager to dance!

Happy dancing!

To The Pointe!

I decided to start this blog for a number of reasons.  First of all, I am a dance teacher.  Teaching pretty much defines my role in life and to add my passion of dance to it is the icing on the cake!  I have danced my entire life and began teaching at the early age of 17 for the very same studio I grew up in.  For the past ahhhhhem... 9 (I almost choked on my seltzer water) years I have tried to learn the ins and out of the industry, but have found that most of the time, well ALL of the time, dance teachers offer very basic advice to one another. When I mean basic I am strictly referencing technique, advice for music and sometimes some general emotional support, but this is often shadowed by a very condescending snarls or rather opinions.  I can't quite figure this out.  My only conclusion is based on the the sheer principle of competition.  There is no need to compete when we are all out of the common good... with some absolutely wonderful, talented kids thrown in the mix.

Specifically... as dance teachers, we deal with an outrageous amount of BS in our day!  Some more than others, but lets face it, any discipline that is featured and highlighted by a performance will have a flair for the dramatics.  Sometimes, this BS or rather drama forces some strange, adverse reactions like my most often exclaimed question: "why would anyone do that?".  We also deal with the ever nomadic dwellings of "competitions."  Most are healthy and encourage learning and growth for students...  but when you engage in a world of dance politics, some pretty strange, funny, HOLY COW, LOL moments will occur. 

 This blog is meant to be completely objective and from a perspective that is and will be somewhat biased.  In all fairness, I have to think I am the best GD dance teacher the world has ever seen, or else my students would fail. We wouldn't want that, now would be?  I am here to merely blog about my experiences in the dance world. Anyway, I hope ya get it! I want to record the good, the bad and the ugly. Self reflection is one of the best forms of therapy.  Who knows?  I couldn't help someone along the way.  I hope all dance teachers from near and far will get a kick out of my experiences as well as my opinions of the dance world. I don't think I am that far off, but my experiences and opinions are what made me who I am today. 
The last thing I want is for anyone to take offense to what I am writing about. This blog isn't meant to be negative and just highlight the bad things going on in my dance world, but to show the positive light my students shine on my life.  No names will be used in any posts.  Please feel free to comment as everyone is entitled to their own opinion... lord knows I have mine! Question me, for I will question myself!

Happy dancing!  Monday starts the New Year!