Thread: undercutter - what if it's your student?

ba, i just found a local one.

she stole half the texts of my website, of the performance page. almost verbatim!

but she posts her prices and charges like half!!!. 70€ for a perofrmance for a private party! 120 for two dancers! 15E for a private lesson. i cant believe my eyes.

and she must know this is half or less than half as she copied this of my website

it has no pictures so i dont know who it is

but she has some of the stuf i do announced in her agendai!! like of of our group performances, so i fear this is a student or ex student of mine

o shoot, i just read her blurb and she is studying in leuven

ah, bah, i HOPE this is not one of my intermediate or advanced students but it very well may be

****

if i find out who it is she'll get an email,
there is an email listed on there, but not sure if and what i should do.

artemisia

reading more of her websiote, i'm livid. MY texts!! my advertising, not just inspired by but word by word by word

I would email her without giving yourself away and find out who she is. Whether a student of yours or not I'd bust her out on the website but still keep your identity secret until you need to reveal yourself.

Did you copyright your information? Even if not protected it is ethically wrong. Do you have someone with legal knowledge you can ask for advise? A letter on an attorney's letterhead is usually fairly effective. Keep us informed. Her actions are just so very unacceptable.

i've done the folowing: i've just asked the webmaster to email her. that takes the emotions/stress/potential for a class/public scene out of it should she be one of my students (it's not the angry/slighted teacher but the businesslike webmaster)

and it stresses the part about the copyright/stealing texts rather than my now emotional reaction to the undercutting. i'll deal with that seperately if i do find out she's still a current student.

f*ck. i've had my share of unpleasant dance/dance school/student/teacher/troupe related experiences this past two month. so glad i'm leaving on holiday next week.

Artemisia, I'm so sorry this happened. It's bad enough to be undercut but by a student ... it just makes it even more upsetting.,f::

So sorry to hear this. It's completely out of line of her... very immature and unprofessional. Keep your chin up, Artemisia...

So sorry, Artemesia

Oh! That is just horrible!,m::

Letting the webmaster email her is a great idea!
I also think you should talk about what just happened with all of your students. In a general way explaining to them that this sort of thing is completly unacceptable and out of line!!

These situations happend way too often and I really think student should be educated about RESPECT! Towards instructors (you or others), performers, fellow students, etc...

Good luck!

Artmesia,
I am so sorry this has happened to you. I would email, or, even better, call that student on the phone IMMEDIATELY. I would not let another MINUTE go by without doing so.

I had my class copy stolen word for word by a former student and I called immediately on the phone, and problem was solved. She still used my copy, but she's changed the wording a little so it doesn't look like blatant out and out stealing, but I know it's still mine.

thank you everybody!

i dont know who it is maria, just an emailadres. i have a shortlist though and i'm going for the webmaster approach. i dont trust myself (what i'd say).,m::

Oo yuck, thats awful!

Maybe its a good idea to use this 'voorval' to educate the classes, by using it as a 'bad example of form'. The student turning red while hearing it should be the one ;-)

Khalida

There is a local dancer in my hometown, who has completely copied and pasted her website from our mutual teacher's website.

The teacher knows and I don't know if she's said anything.

She is also the girl who commissioned a website and then flaked on payment. (The webdesigner emailed me and I posted it on bhuz if you remember)

I have a feeling karma will get her in the end.

As a sidenote, what do you do (if anything) when undercutters are your friends? :(

I have a former student who is doing the same, I believe in that Karma will get them..The website theft is plagiarism so you can email her about that transgression.

Originally Posted by eshe

As a sidenote, what do you do (if anything) when undercutters are your friends? :(

If the undercutter is a friend I would really play up the "You are worth more than that" angle, breakdown the general personal costs they should be thinking about and be willing to charge, if they are an English reader then forward that lovely Guilded Serpent article...and only THEN mention your rates and the local rates.

I have no idea if you are speaking about anyone I know, and that doesn't really matter (we both know people who should be charging more, or turning down some of the gigs they take) but I do know that some of the girls we know who take sketchy/lowpay gigs probably don't feel that they are good enough to charge more and need more self-worth in general. A lot of the dancers look up to you, but many (friends included) might think that they aren't at your level and thus self-justify the lowball prices.

Can you do a "whois" to find out to whom the website is registered?

http://www.whois.net/

What is the URL?

Just a side note for general reference (because so many of us produce websites/brochures/etc. that we should know these things).

In the U.S., at least, images and text are protected by copyright law whether they are registered or not, whether they are marked with a copyright symbol or not, etc. Copyright protection is automatic, NOT something a person has to register for.

Registration is just a bit of optional added protection in case there's ever a question of who wrote what first, etc. Only there shouldn't be a question of that, because with the internet there are public archives that can show who published the info first.

Oh, and I think having your webmaster make the first contact is a brilliant idea, that way you can address only the plagiarism first and find out who it is!

If it is a student just starting out, it may be a case of their thinking they're not worth as much yet, etc. and perhaps you can talk to them and straighten it out.

I would be mean enough to set her up and book her for a private party.... When she shows you know who it is... and surprise surprise... let her have it!!! Oh and I would video her coming to the party for everyone to see.....

thought about that, but it's hosted through an internet provider, so that doesnt lead to anything

Originally Posted by steffib

Can you do a "whois" to find out to whom the website is registered?

http://www.whois.net/

thought about that one too, .p::

Originally Posted by Lucinia

I would be mean enough to set her up and book her for a private party.... When she shows you know who it is... and surprise surprise... let her have it!!! Oh and I would video her coming to the party for everyone to see.....

Go for a class in belly dance ethics. Mention that you would feel hurt if anyone would copy your text on to their website. As for the undercutting, her probably being your student is a very tricky situation. Maybe mention undercutting as something that only bad dancers would do, then look at your students and say 'but I'm glad that I taught you to not be that kind of dancer' and leave it at that. Even is she's not there, one of her friends will probably tell her about the ethics class.

Wow that is terrible! I'm so sorry this happened to you. :-(
I do recommend that you sleep on it before you confront who it is. I always try to do that and it works our better in the end. Don't want to go off half cocked as the expression goes.

Best Wishes,
~*Genisis*~

OMG - that must be like a knife to the heart - I'm so sorry that someone is doing this to you artemisia.

I think the webmaster approach is inspired! I do think you'll need to address her directly eventually, but I would wait until your anger and hurt has cooled a bit because otherwise it could get nasty.

I agree with those who've suggested bringing this up in a class context - you can do it generally and non-personally.

((hugs))
D

thank you everybody for all the support!

Originally Posted by artemisia_danst

thank you everybody for all the support!

Keep us posted! and good luck.