Riot and Frolic

I love you guys.  I really do.  I couldn't make a living without you.  [Ba dum ching!] But mostly, I really love you guys.  Your dedication, your talent, your attitude, your drive, all make me want you a big hug and pat on the back… after you do that move 20 more times perfectly.  

BUT, sometimes, you do some stuff that bugs me.  And I want you to stop that.  And do that move again, better.  But mostly,

Here are things I want you to stop doing on (or around) ballroom dance lessons

Apologize.  If you did it perfectly, we wouldn't make a living.  

Voluntarily tell us you didn't practice.  If we ask, say something insanely clever like "I plead the 5th".  But don't just 'fess up to not spending 2 minutes working on posture, Rumba walks, or that damn oversway right off the bat.

Don't practice.  Even if it's just a couple minutes a day.  I LITERALLY HAVE A CATALOG OF EXERCISES YOU CAN DO IN TWO MINUTES.

Blame us for your results at a competition.  You didn't win that thing that you sometimes win?  Can I list off the factors of why that might be? [I can; they're right here.]

Don't know what you need at a comp (psychologically, physically, emotionally).  I need everyone to stay the hell away from me while I have my headphones on as I'm stretching out and doing mental run-throughs in the corner (I don't even have music on, I'm just being a loner).  My partner likes to keep moving and talking to people.  We compromise to keep both of us sane.  Figure out what helps you before you hit the floor and communicate that.  

Forget all knowledge the day of coaching.  "I'm supposed to take a toe lead on 3? I've never heard that before!"  Please, just nod and smile and work hard on coaching.  Because, apparently, the dance celebrities make you lose your mind.

Don't do what we tell you to do.  The thing we're telling you to do might sound stupid and you might not know the end game, but do the thing we're telling you to do.  DO IT.  And stop arguing with us about it.  Or rationalizing why it's hard/you feel stupid/you don't want to.  We're the teachers.  You're the student.  Deal with it.

Don't trust us.  If you really believe your teacher is up to no good, you should probably start shopping for a new pro.  We are up to good things for you.  There is no glory in holding you back, giving you bad information, or steering you wrong.  

• If you look good, we look good.  
• Are you working on the same thing as that girl over there in your same proficiency level?  Maybe not.  Are you working on the same thing as that girl over there, but do I use completely different words and techniques to get you to do it?  Maybe.  
• Your background and learning style make for two very different learning experiences.  
• Don't expect to hear the same words from your teacher as he's teaching another student in the same level and especially not from a different instructor.  

Complain about us to other students and teachers.  It's way easier NOT to tell us straight to our face that you don't think you should be working on your topline right now because everyone else seems to be working on adding new choreography or that your lessons never start on time or that there's a spot on the floor that you swear is cursed, but coming directly to us with your problems and complaints will probably solve the problem a lot faster and keep our awesome relationship unscathed.  

Teach.  No, we don't care if you teach your students.  We do care if on a lesson with you, our [fairly rightful] place is usurped because you want to add a new trick that you saw on YouTube or you think the connection should go like this or you are falling over over here and want us to do something inherently wrong to fix the thing.  Again, we're pretty sure that you are paying us for our greater knowledge base.  Sure, you can take over, but attaining your dance goals might take a bit longer, too.  [And okay, we hate it when you teach other students, as well.]

FUN FACT:

I had this as a draft from YEARS ago (yes, 2015) and all I did was add some links.  It was a little shocking how much it still applies.  Since many people are getting back into dancing after a forced hiatus, it's nice to remember how to behave in the studio AND REMEMBER THAT I LOVE YOU.