yet another thread about levels

[testadmin]

Hi, I'm an occassional lurker cautiously raising her head above the parapet

I know that this is just a variation on an issue that is constantly being debated but I could really use some advice.

My level 3 class is aimed at people who've been dancing at least eighteen months and who are hoping to perform in the future. It's a demanding class and I don't expect to have to stop to teach people how to do 3/4 shimmies or arabesques.

half the class are my own students who've come up through the ranks but the other half are increasingly coming from another local teacher and frankly they're just not up to standard. One is so bad that the rest of the class fall over her all the time when we're doing travelling steps.

I've suggested on several occasions that the worst ones would be much more at home in the lower level class but in each case they've insisted that they've done x number of years with teacher B who put them in her highest level class and they really feel that this is the right class for them.

Now another one (who initially agreed to go down to the lower level) has written saying she just can't make the time of the lower level class and please could she come to the higher class.

The thing is that she's not the worst of the bunch so I feel bad about saying no. But the standard of the class is increasingly being undermined by these students. I know what I should have done in hindsight (said no-one can come to this class unless they've done at least a year in my other class and I judge them up to it) but at this late stage I don't feel I can throw people down or change the rules.

Help!

[testadmin]

I'm looking to the Bhuzzers to solve the possibly insoluble...

[testadmin]

Do you have any kind of a natural break between your sessions? A change in "rules" might be best implemented then. And I suggest you put your foot down. You are the TEACHER. Just say "this is the way it is" and perhaps give a list of moves you expect people to have mastered before they get into the higher class. If somebody tries to argue with you, say they can give you a 15-minute audition sometime to demonstrate their mad skillz.

If somebody gets mad and leaves... well, that's really her problem. You don't want these people holding the rest of the class back and making all of them frustrated. Go for it!

[testadmin]

I can see several different ways of dealing with the situation, none of them are ideal though.

One very important key, no matter what, is that you'll have to shift your perception slightly, or at least choose your words carefully , because as long as you're holding judgements as to one student (or their training) being 'better' or 'worse' than another, they're not going to respond well.

So, I'd phrase it (and try to genuinely think of it) as simply a 'difference' in teaching between you & the other instructor. Her students aren't coming in with some skills you'd like them to have -- fair enough. But it could be that they excel at things they're not getting to demonstrate in your class. So rather than labeling them as 'worse' than your students, I think it's important to just state that they're coming into the class with a different background, vocabulary, maybe even technique.

From there, I can see several options.

• Institute the policy you wish you'd had in the first place, but live with the students who have already been 'grandfathered' in under the old system. And hope that over time, they either catch on to your way of teaching, develop the skills you need them to have, or get frustrated & leave the class.

• Same as above, EXCEPT deal with individuals who are holding back the intermediate class on an individual basis. Take them aside, one at a time, and say "I've noticed that it's really frustrating for you when we do XXXXX. And there are some other aspects of my class that you seem to be having trouble with. I'm sure you must feel like you're holding the class back, and that can't be comfortable for you. Would you like to spend a little time in my lower level class getting more familiar with my technique and then try this level again? Or could we set up some private lessons to bring you up to speed on that material?

• Same as above, except take the whole subgroup of students aside & say something like "I put you all in my most advanced class because I wanted to be respectfu of the amount of time & work you've already put into your training. But I didn't take into account that each teacher has her own technique & vocabulary. At this level, I don't break much down, and I can see it's frustrating for you. Do you think it would be more effective if you spent a little time in the next class down, getting more used to my technique/vocabulary so you're on an even footing with the others? Or are you interested in pitching in together for a series of semi-privates to bring you up to speed?"

• Another option, if you have enough students & time for it, would be to create another, even-more-advanced class and promote by audition/invitation.

If you don't have time to teach another class, small group, or private, maybe one of your advanced students would be able to do it?

[testadmin]

From my experience with different levels. One dance company I know only allows students to advance by intructor invite only. You can present your case and ask to be invited.

This happened to me. I asked and was told I was not ready. Then she told me why, My transitions were choppy, I had to lead the troupe for more than 15 seconds, and my legs were weak, needed more strenght for doing levels for an extended time. I was dissappointed but I had the feedback to work on those weaknesses and work I did. Then about two three months later she came to me and told me I was ready to move up to intermidiate level one.

I think you should stick to your guns. You have standards that are important to you to teach. There are lousy teachers who do not know
how to teach who have bad technique. I feel sorry for the dancers who are mislead for years.

I never do anything without my Instructors permission. That is my standard. I told one I wanted to start performing but will wait till she tells me I'm ready. A week later she paid special attention to me to evaluate me, after class she walks by me and say Your Ready and keeps on walking. I was totally stund. Then I asked my other instructors cause I have several instructors and wanted them to verify that I was ready. I ask them all. They all felt I was. I was on the cusp of Intermediate level two and advanced class.

So yeah. stick to your guns, I would want you as an instructor. I know my 3/4 shimmies... If ever I'm in your neighborhood I will look you up.

[testadmin]

p.s. I rambled about in my post and never got around to saying -- if the other teacher's students really ARE spending years in her class & coming out with completely sub-par skills (and we all know that happens) then they will figure that out on their own after spending some time in your classes. You won't ever need to say so. And they'll respect you immensely for being respectful of them & the other teacher.

[testadmin]

This is why any new student goes into my Beginner II class. I have had too many "intermediates" come to my Inter. class (my highest level so far and for those who have had 3+ years experience) who can't do 3/4 shimmies or undulate properly etc., etc. not to mention have sad posture.

Now I say, "come to my Wednesday class to catch up on my style and terminology". They are usually happy to stay there for a while. :-)

[testadmin]

One of my teachers does that as well, and I think it's valuable for both the student and the teacher. The teacher gets to know the student's level for real, and the student gets an introduction to the new teacher's style, terminology, etc. I think it's an excellent way to do things.

Badriya

[testadmin]

i also go the 'every teacher teaches different basics" route, to move people down, or never let them in a higher level before trying out lower intermediate. i have guidelines/descriptions on the website. they are partially based on how long you have been dancing, whihc indeed does not say everhtung. my advanced class is invitation only and nobody starts in there. i also invite people to try a certain level for one class (as low as i can get them), and then discuss it with me after. they are usually happy to stay there. what i tell them is also "some of this might be repeats, and some might be too slow, but i think plenty of moves are new for you right? so why dont you stay in this level till you master those..."

i have also moved people down (both my own students, who actually were more accepting, and new students coming from elsewhere) by telling them "i can see how frustrating this class is getting for you, i really think you would learn a lot more and progress much faster by taking class X for a term or two, so we can give you some time to really pick up on this and this move, rather than struggling so much. you will learn sooo much more in class X.

bottom line; i decide. yes sometimes people are not happy and leave, but i have not just their well being to think of, but also the other 15 people in the class, who deserve a class taught at their level.

artemisia

[testadmin]

I am not a teacher, but as a student, I encourage you to do something about it. From a student's perspective, it is something we notice as well, and it is very annoying. I have always made it a point to ask for my instructors' approval before advancing to their next levels up, becuase I'd feel so bad to be one of the dancers that holds back those who have put in the time and effort to deserve to be there. I personally would go nuts in a class where I couldn't keep up with a darn thing, so I wonder how some of these gals can come to class week after week and be OK with not being able to do hardly anything that's being taught.

Just be careful how you word it if you decide to ask some of the less advanced dancers to consider another class. I wouldn't use words like "step down" or "go back" or "lower level." It seems like for some students, the number of the level they're in is more important than the solidness of their grasp of the material, so try to phrase it in terms of "honing technique" or "further developing skills" or something along those lines.

Also, if you approach them, start off by commenting on their strengths. It's proven that constructive criticism is much more well-received if it is preceded by praise. So perhaps something like, "Your enthusiasm for this dance is truly inspiring! Why don't you try..." or "Your slow hip movements have some beautiful fluidity. In my other class, we're working on really making those hips gush, and I'd love to see you there!" (These are just my crappy examples; feel free to completely disregard. )

I suppose another, less direct, technique you could try is on the first day of the new session, really hit 'em hard! At the first level 3 class I went to, the teacher threw shimmies and 3/4 shimmies on top of all kinds of things that she'd never put shimmies on in Level 2. She switched all the zill patterns with 3's to zill patterns with 4's. It was a bit of a wake up call for a few of the students that definitely shouldn't have been there. (Some of them were obliviously undaunted, though, which is why I probably don't recommend that you use this as the only approach to remedying your dilemma.)

[testadmin]

Thank you so much for your advice everyone. It was *so* interesting reading your replies. It's something I've been stressing about for ages and suddenly I thought, yes, it's my class and I *can* do something about it. You gave me the strength and determination to do it.

So I emailed the latest girl back and said she's welcome to come to the class but as from Easter I'm instituting a new regime. I recognise that different teachers teach different things and so if you come from another teacher and want to be in my level 3 class you need to do at least six months in level 2 to get up to speed on my stuff or you have to audition.

I haven't heard back from her so I don't know how she's taken it, but at the moment I'm feeling that I don't care too much because I think it's a problem that's just going to grow. Word seems to have got around the students of this other teacher and they are coming in greater and greater numbers. Which is really flattering and everything but it's causing problems for me and as Nimah says, probably for the other students too.

Sooo, can I ask a couple more questions from you guys....

1) How do people go about auditioning? I thought I'd maybe say join the class for one lesson (and I'll throw some good hard stuff at them) and then after the lesson stay behind for a while and I'll get them to show me certain things I expect of that level.

2) I know I'm not going to be able to move the ones who are already there into the easier class. I've already tried (in a diplomatic way) but they've refused, either because they can't make the other class or because they've done teacher B's classes for five years or whatever. Also they are really nice girls who have been so lovely and enthusiastic about my classes and so supportive to me that I don't want to be too rough on them. So I'm going with Lauren's option one.

But that means I'm going be demanding of new people moving up, yet when they finally get there, they're going to see people in the level 3 class who can't get their feet right in a grapevine (I'm not kidding )

They *are* improving slowly, but really shouldn't be in this class. So what will the people who've moved up through the new regime think? And what do I do about it? (Or should I really care?)

[testadmin]

Can you take aside the students who are the *most* ill-prepared for their current level, either one at a time or as a group, if they share the same issues, and say "I'm starting this new policy (explain it if they don't know yet). I'm going to allow you to continue in this class, since you've already told me it won't work for you to go to level 2. But only *if* you can improve enough to keep up with the rest of the class in the area of (footwork? lower belly control? posture? arms? I'd pick just one thing for each student, no more than two). I'd love to help you with it, but I can't slow the class down to work on this, they drilled it for weeks/months at level 2 and it's not fair to them."

I'd do this either individually with those who are the worst offenders or with the whole group who've come in from the other teacher.

I'd probably also take responsibility for the problem, removing any sense of blame from them or their teacher. "I was new at incorporating another teachers' students into my class when you first came in. Bringing you into the highest level seemed fair, but looking back it wasn't the best thing for you or for my other students. I think everyone will be better served by the new policy."

[testadmin]

Kimahri did a workshop that might work as a wonderful solution to your dilemma. It was an assessment workshop in which she gave us a handy checklist, had us perform a variety of skills, self-assess our ability on each, and then she made individual recommendations of those skills we should be practicing more.

Perhaps if you could work in something like this, your weaker students could see that taking another level class in which you spend more time on the techniques or skills they need to improve would be a good idea for them?