Zachariah

At the risk of not quite conforming to Zachariah's format, I'd like to write an open letter to all teachers of dance. I won't mention names, because I've had too many excellent teachers who also fell from grace occasionally by doing "certain things," which I'd like to shine some light on. By the way, in my ten years of dancing, I've taken oodles of dance lessons, so I bring a certain amount of experience to the matter of dance pedagogy. Here are two "don'ts" which have bothered me during lessons.

1. Please don't be so eager to ask us students to chain several NEW moves (moves we have to think ourselves through, or moves in which we find ourselves lost) into a looong sequence. The problem here is that you are asking us to remember the sequence WHILE we're trying to figure out how to do the moves. Some of the moves we, perhaps, can't do at all yet! Why impose a memory exercise on top the essential challenge of performing new moves? I'm no dummy, and I have friends who are certifiably brilliant, who are flummoxed by this practice. Another problem is that if there is even one faltering within an assigned series of moves, the entire sequence thus devolves into chaos. Moreover, once frustration which this practice engenders sets in, it's humiliating for a lead. How can a bloke lead a series of moves which he barely knows, some of which he doesn't know at all, while remembering the order set forth by the teacher? Mercy!

I'd suggest the assignment of sequences come after the moves are mastered. (Mastery: the ability to perform moves correctly without thinking.) Having to think both about the move and an arbitrary order puts unnecessary pressure on the student. Isolate the challenge, and practice just that, perhaps sandwiched with commonly known moves, AS OPPOSED the other new moves being learned.

2. Please, please, (please) proceed slowly. What's clear, easy, and obvious to you is the opposite to newbies. Indeed, this is the ultimate challenge in all teaching endeavors: keeping in mind and empathizing with what it's like learning something new and exotic (to the learner). I've heard a fast pace defended by the notion that the quicker learners will be bored. I say let them be a bit bored. Why would they want to leave their brothers and sisters behind? While the quick studies are patiently practicing with the slower studies, they can help the slower ones along.

Here I will mention names: When I was first learning, Jody and Matt were paragons of pace sensitivity. I'll be eternally grateful to their gracious empathy for us beginners!

Having said all that, let me proclaim that I'm very happy with the general quality of dance teaching in Seattle. But even the very good teachers occasionally succumb to the aforementioned "don'ts," in my opinion.

Michael Waters