Help with Teacher, Improvement ......

[lds_dancing_princess]

I was just wondering if you could help me out. I am having a difficut time right now. I am a Dance Major at a community college.I am currently studing Modern, Ballet and Irish. I dance for 5 to seven hours a day, and the rest of the day is sepnt in academic classes. I have been dacing for 4 years, and I love it more than anything!! I have always progessed very fast in all of my dancing. When I started 4 years ago, I was a total beginner. I stared in the very lowest classes, and I worked very hard. After just one year, I was moved up to the intermidiate/advanced leval and I began pointe work. I continued to work very hard, and I was bascially the best dancer at my studio. I applyed to the dance program at the CC, and although I didn't recieve a scholarship, I was accepted to the dance program.

 

 

 

When my first semester came around, I was really nervous to start my dance classes. I started in the Ballet 2 majors class. I worked very hard in that class, but the instructor kept telling me that I had no talent, no training and that I was to fat to ever become a dancer. I was shocked by her attitude towards me, but I continued to do my best in the class. I had thought about quiting several times, but my love of dancing kept pulling me back.

 

 

After the semester was over, she called me into her office and told me that she thought it best to keep me in the ballet 2 class and not move me up. She said that I needed more training , and that she thought that one more semster with her would help me improve. I agreed to stay in her class for another semster.

 

 

I am now almost through with the second semester. I feel that I have improved, but my instructor says thta I should'nt be allowed to move up, because I am not good enough. I still hear form her that I have no talent, and that I will never be a dancer unless I loose some weight. I am not rail thin, mind you, but I am not emensily overweight as she says. I am just so frusterated and my self confidance is rock bottom. Do I not really have the right training or talent to ever be a dancer? I love dancing with all of my heart,a and I can't imagine not doing it. Please give me some advice as to what to do with this problem that I am facing.

[Mel Johnson]

I confess a certain amount of astonishment that a teacher in a public institution of higher learning would be allowed to use such corrections as "no talent...too fat". As to "no training", that is self-contradictory, as she has provided about half of it. It sounds as if you've drawn a plain old mean teacher; we can't see you to tell you if any of her remarks are so, but even if they were, I'd certainly hate to be a teacher who employed such a teaching methodology.

[Guest jete2006]

I have had a mean teacher before , who was personally putting me down, and I stood it for one year. Because my old teacher loved me so much, she said I should move on. I did, and got much happier. You dance to feel great and you work so hard. Some teachers are strict but not cruel or as discouraging like this one sounds like Maybe you could have a real heart to heart talk with the teacher or write it in a letter how you wish you could be encouraged more. Since it's college, I know it;s not easy to change, so maybe being honest will have the teacher see how much you care about this. Don't let anyone stop you from dance.