Thread: I keep losing my best students!

Life is so frustrating sometimes. I have been trying for 2 years now to have a semi-sort-of-troupe with 3 or 4 of my best students that I can have perform locally, send out to various gigs, etc.

EACH TIME I get a student who gets to this point, she moves out of the area. :( One went to Colorado. One started her own business in Kentucky and doesn't dance anymore. One was transferred here from Texas (technically she was Isis's student, but I was super excited to have her) and then got transferred back. One's husband got a job in Florida, but the final straw was one of my most beautiful, kind, and loving students, with an AMAZING energy and radiant beauty and an incredible skill for performance -- the girl who had been with me the longest -- she and her husband get transferred to a city about 3 hours away.



I'm sad about the failure of the troupe thing, but I really miss these ladies! I know I shouldn't complain. In this economy, they are all lucky to even have jobs, but I just wish one or two of them could stick around for longer than a few years.

The moral of my tale is this: teachers, if you have advanced students, APPRECIATE THEM NOW, while you have them. :)

I'm off to go push my beginners harder... :)

D'oh! Hugs.

I just lost my last original student (from my very first class 3 years ago) last session, and it felt like the end of an era.

Oh, I am with you on this one! Last year one of my ladies moved to Texas, year before that I lost one to Australia. I just found out my guy is moving to Chicago in May. Help!
It seems I am never allowed more than 4 people at a time in my performance class- if I move anyone up, someone else moves away. You'd think living in a military/university town I'd be used to this, but it still hurts & is never really expected!

Originally Posted by aziyade

Life is so frustrating sometimes. I have been trying for 2 years now to have a semi-sort-of-troupe with 3 or 4 of my best students that I can have perform locally, send out to various gigs, etc.

EACH TIME I get a student who gets to this point, she moves out of the area. :( One went to Colorado. One started her own business in Kentucky and doesn't dance anymore. One was transferred here from Texas (technically she was Isis's student, but I was super excited to have her) and then got transferred back. One's husband got a job in Florida, but the final straw was one of my most beautiful, kind, and loving students, with an AMAZING energy and radiant beauty and an incredible skill for performance -- the girl who had been with me the longest -- she and her husband get transferred to a city about 3 hours away.



I'm sad about the failure of the troupe thing, but I really miss these ladies! I know I shouldn't complain. In this economy, they are all lucky to even have jobs, but I just wish one or two of them could stick around for longer than a few years.

The moral of my tale is this: teachers, if you have advanced students, APPRECIATE THEM NOW, while you have them. :)

I'm off to go push my beginners harder... :)

I know the feeling. so many dear friends - not just good students - people who really matter - move - stuff happens - as you say treasure them now!

I'm sorry for you! Please feel hugged.

I bet it's hard for your students, too. I'm really in love with this dance, but if I go do my voluntary ecological year at a seal sanctuary and then study animation for four years in Denmark, that's five years without dance. I'm already sad and I think it has to be the same for your students. Make sure to let them always know they'll be missed - at least, I was very touched when my teacher told me. It doesn't make it much easier, but feeling a little love is doing one good.

(I really phrased that last bit unelegantly... Please forgive a non-native speaker. It's hard to write what I wanted to say.)

I am sorry for you... know how it is too. I end up becoming really good friends with students and classmates. It's really difficult when they move away one by one. But that's how it is when the economy is bad... everyone has to be more mobile in order to seek out new opportunities.

I had to move an hour and a half away for my fiance, effectively ending my dance teaching business, and isolating me from my fellow dancers and friends.

I'm sorry to hear that!
Intellectually, we know that this is just a part of life. But that doesn't make it any easier to see someone who is close to us move away.

Originally Posted by yameyameyame

I'm sorry to hear that!
Intellectually, we know that this is just a part of life. But that doesn't make it any easier to see someone who is close to us move away.

Yeah.

You know, having a troupe isn't even as important as just maintaining those relationships.

My students - I just them love and when they go away or have life changes, whatever, I really miss them.

With a few notable exceptions.

I feel ya. I was in a troupe and the other four dancers all moved away, one by one, and I'm the only one still here. First to Connecticut, then to New York, then to Arizona and the last to Scotland! I feel like it's a sign I should move too. I don't know if I can take another New England winter!

But on the up side I now have more time to develop my solo style

@ Lara - I completely feel you on that one. I also live in a College/Militrary town. Seems like everytime I get a few students to the next level and get them ready for performing together in a group either they graduate, change schools or their husbands PCS to another post.

@ Lesdi - I also end up becoming good friends with my students and its so hard when they leave because I am not only losing a good student but a friend as well.

It is pretty frusterating when students end up having to leave, but we just have to keep on shimming on :)

I have a beautiful group of beginners, so I'm trying to appreciate them more and get to know them better. It must be really hard to be a high school teacher or college professor -- knowing that the kids you really like you will only see for 4 years.

:)

It is sad to see them go but so wonderful when they re-connect. Just this term we have had a troupe member from ten yrs ago turn up to class and another that had been in the UK for a couple of years is back too!

We have had a troupe at our school for almost 15 yrs now and turn over of between 2-5 yrs is common. Like you said Aziyade it is just important to celebrate the dancers and the dynamic you have now.

I know what you mean. I used to wish I lived in a metro area where there'd be a high percentage of "dancers" not just hobbyists if you know what I mean. But I've come to appreciate what I have going on here instead. And then sometimes the most promising move away (probably to a metro area? haha)
But you can look at that as, they're "spreading the love".

And maybe if you give the lower level students a chance to join up in a performing group they'll step it up a bit too -

Originally Posted by aziyade

The moral of my tale is this: teachers, if you have advanced students, APPRECIATE THEM NOW, while you have them. :)

I'm off to go push my beginners harder... :)

Yup, change is the one constant in life, so get used to it! And appreciate what you have now, that is good advice to yourself!

I have been through so many personnel changes in my band, I have gotten better at handling it gracefully, but it still has an emotional whammy when someone leaves.

So sad to read this Aziyade...now I feel even more lucky that I recommend students advancing to advanced teachers and can join them in class as another student.

I do believe we're all in each other's lives for the "right" amount of time, and when we are "supposed" to be. I won't question any Divine Plan, but sometimes it is just darn annoying!!

As it is, I have a truly lovely group of beginner/intermediates, and now that I'm really taking the time to see them as individual people (and not just "my 5:45 group") I'm really excited about our possibilities together. :)

Thanks gang :)