A good dance teacher will definitely make you cry- not from anything they have done, but from the way they make you reflect on your own actions. My dance teacher in high school asked me why I really love to dance on several occasions, and I cried each time before even being able to answer. She had instilled in me such a deep passion for dancing that I couldn't even begin to explain. We wrote in journals, laughed together, watched cringey videos of me dancing, and endured many frustrating conditioning sessions.
When I moved to Atlanta, I was given the opportunity to follow in her footsteps. The prospect of becoming a dance teacher was honestly not the most appealing at first (hello, sweaty children), but the impact that my dance teacher had on my life made it impossible for me to pass up the chance to become a role model and guide. I taught a super stressful sample class to showcase my teaching abilities (or lack thereof), and didn't go down in flames, so I got my very own class. Every Tuesday, I get to dance around with a room full of fifteen amazing girls ranging from ages 10-12.
Unfortunately, teaching, as I had suspected, is not all proud mom moments and perfectly behaved children.
I spend about 15% percent of class time trying to keep the rascals in line and quiet, expend 100% of my energy trying to get them excited about movement and technique, and use about 30 minutes every week just to find clean songs that have a semblance of a fun beat.
In the beginning, I planned my classes down to the second, complete with a theme, exact counts to every exercise, and a goal in mind. I quickly found out that children have surprisingly little in common with robots, and this rigid approach was not going to lead to any real progress. So, I took a more flexible approach and tailored each class to the average needs and abilities of the class.
The problem with this approach was that it didn't matter what I did if nobody was listening. Pro-tip: play good music, and kids will follow you blindly. By carefully selecting a playlist of clean top 40 and rap songs, I established myself as "the cool teacher" and earned the attention of my students.
With command of the classroom and a formula for efficient learning, I began to connect with my students. They are all girls with an immense passion for dancing, and each has a unique set of skills and a touch of beautiful, raw talent. Because I teach a class that focuses on the basics of technique, my repertoire is usually comprised of exercises for strength, flexibility, and balance, but sometimes, I decide to just dance. We'll do a short combination, and the kids never fail to leave everything on the floor. This is where those proud moments come in.
Watching another being give their entire soul to your movement and absorb every word you say is an unparalleled experience. Every class is an extreme venture combining public speaking, exercise, discipline, impeccable timing, and babysitting, but the joy of dancing becomes infinitely multiplied when shared with excited students.
I still come back to my dorm with a red face and a twitching eye once in a while. I even threatened to throw people out of my class if they wouldn't stop talking during the exercises. I now have a new appreciation for the unending patience of my high school dance teacher, and I hope to emulate her role as a mentor as I grow closer to my students and more confident in my authority in life and in dance.
It is not uncommon to hear about the fulfilling aspects of teaching in every discipline, but it is a unique dynamic that one cannot understand without stepping in front of a class. With every kick ball change, I become a better ally and mentor for a group of 15 kids that have the potential to mold the future.
