my friend and my teacher

[dancerchik]

Well, a couple of days ago in class after the combination my teacher said to me and my friend that we had "fluffly butts" and that we needed to pull up more. The problem is that it came across like she was saying we were fat. Now that doesn't bother me because I have heard teachers before actually say to students that they need to lose weight. However, my friend took it very hard, and was in tears the entire class. This isn't the first time the teacher has humiliated her, and because of that she is thinking about quitting dance. Is there anything I can say to her that will convince her she does not need to lose weight and to not take the teachers words personally?

[Victoria Leigh]

Well, you might start with telling her that not using the muscles in the derrière makes anyone look like they have a "fluffy butt". I use some other terms, but it all means the same thing. It is NOT saying anyone is fat, it is saying they are not using their gluteous maximus muscles. So, tell her to grow up and get over it! If she wants to quit from that kind of remark, then she doesn't really want to dance anyway.

[balletolivia12]

As Ms. Leigh said being told you have a "fluffy butt" does not at all indicate that you are fat. Myself and many other lightweight dancers at my studio have been given similar corrections. A while ago I was given a correction by my teacher and was slighly offended. The next class I was given the same correction and began to get frustrated that I was still making the same mistake. I ended up staying after class and asking the teacher for help. My teacher readily gave me advice, apologized for being harsh, and complemented me on my improvement in other areas. It may help your friend to speak to the teacher and ask for help on exercises to help her pull up and be aware when she has a "fluffy butt". It always helps to let your teacher know that you want to improve and learn from your mistakes.

[Mel Johnson]

It also helps the teacher to find ways to express the message intended in ways that won't threaten the students. In the wrong person, the kind of exchange described above could set off a downward spiral of bad nutritional choices! So keep talking to us teachers, gang!

[balletbabe31]

Tell her not to worry sometimes if a teacher tries to put things in a nice way the point will not come across correctly sometimes being blunt is the best way for a student to realize something and accomplish what needs to be done. I've had a pas de deux teacher said someone was heavy when her lifted he because she wasn't holding herself correctly...she got very offended and almost started to cry. Truth be told she was one of the skinniest dancers in the class. Tell your friend to cheer up and having a fluffy butt doesn't mean she's fat.

[Lexii]

One of my teachers did the same thing. She said that we all needed to go to the gym, but we all laughed because we knew that it wasn't true. We also knew that we aren't fat and feel good about ourselves. So tell your friend not to listen to her and ignore what she says, she's probably a really mean teacher like another one in my studio. She picks on my friend so much for no apparant reasons.