Dmmetler Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 DD went up to a level of dance where she had to be with the studio director this year and it didn't go well-the level of difficulty increased a lot (in fairness, I think that was because her old teacher tended to be more relaxed than the classes at the same level that the studio director teaches), and DD didn't respond well to the director's criticism. She was very stressed and in tears after almost each class. But she loved her ballet instructor-and wants to focus on ballet. They had their dress rehearsal tonight, and the only dance that she was relaxed during and actually looked like she was enjoying, instead of scared was ballet. And guess which teacher will be going on tour next year, and is dropping teaching entirely? I'm just not sure I can put her through starting again with a new person. DD struggles physically,because of her sensory issues, and her perfectionism really rears it's head. It takes a special person to get her to relax and focus on the good, and I can see that dance, with her old Pre-ballet/tap teacher and her current ballet teacher, has been so good for her-and that one year with the wrong jazz/tap teacher has been so bad-any physical benefit had been negated emotionally. Sigh.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 I'm sorry :grouphug: . I would rather suffer any disappointment than have my child suffer one. I feel for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 :(. Sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 I'm so sorry. :( The dance world can be a cruel one, and the older the girls get...the more cruel it becomes. Honestly, I've known more girls who have dropped out of dance for emotional reasons rather than physical ones. More than two to one. And some of them were extremely talented dancers...they just couldn't compartmentalize and de-personalize the emotional abuse that often goes hand in hand with ballet. My dd had some artistic directors that I would still like to drop kick across the country and back....but she would just laugh and wave it off. Clearly, *I* am not cut out to be a ballerina. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted April 25, 2013 Author Share Posted April 25, 2013 I feel almost guilty-here the guy is getting a major break in his career, and a chance to return to stage and professional performance after several years of teaching, and I'm depressed because it means he won't be here to teach my child! We have a few weeks of break after recital and before summer session classes start. I figure I'll give DD a little bit of time and ask her what she wants to do for the summer. IF the teacher for summer will be the same in the fall, I'd rather have her try over the summer with someone new, because if it's a complete personality mismatch, that doesn't involve the same level of commitment-at the same time, I can see a benefit to, after, this hard year, taking a complete break from the studio, not having to be around the director even in the same building, and re-evaluating in fall whether it's something she really wants to do. She plans to keep tumbling over the summer regardless (different program, and so far, every coach she's had in that one has been the bubbly, positive, cheerleader type). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 I hope you can make something work out for her. It seems like it should be so simple to just sign up and take courses with a competent teacher, but it's rarely that straight forward, sigh. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Does she want to be a professional dancer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted April 25, 2013 Author Share Posted April 25, 2013 Not at all. Her greatest dance aspiration is that she wouldn't mind, someday, being on the local high school dance team (the team has one of the best fundraisers I've seen-usually once in the fall and once in the Spring, they invite girls to come to the school and spend a day learning choreography with the high school girls leading (divided into age groups), and then get to perform with the high school team, in cute little matching t-shirts, at some otherwise poorly attended athletic event. DD's done it the last 3 years, and LOVED it)-which I doubt will happen because I don't think the school would be a good fit for her at all. But career-wise,it's probably something related to science and animals. She enjoys dancing, but it's simply not a passion for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsunshine Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Is there any way you could look around for a new studio? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Not at all. Her greatest dance aspiration is that she wouldn't mind, someday, being on the local high school dance team (the team has one of the best fundraisers I've seen-usually once in the fall and once in the Spring, they invite girls to come to the school and spend a day learning choreography with the high school girls leading (divided into age groups), and then get to perform with the high school team, in cute little matching t-shirts, at some otherwise poorly attended athletic event. DD's done it the last 3 years, and LOVED it)-which I doubt will happen because I don't think the school would be a good fit for her at all. But career-wise,it's probably something related to science and animals. She enjoys dancing, but it's simply not a passion for her. Then I would switch studios. If she were headed for a career, and the studio she currently attends is the best in town, then I would tell her to suck it up and get used to it. Because it will get worse. The stories I hear now from my dd have given me the impression that every guest choreographer out there is flat out INSANE. And the more famous they are, the more tenuous their grasp on sanity is. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted April 25, 2013 Author Share Posted April 25, 2013 My biggest fear is, what if we switch, she leaves behind the friends she has at the studio, only to end up with something worse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Call all the schools in the area and ask to either observe a class or have your daughter take one class, then have her decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsunshine Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 My biggest fear is, what if we switch, she leaves behind the friends she has at the studio, only to end up with something worse? It sounds like it couldn't get much worse for her now! I agree that you might want to call around -- have her take trial classes at a few different studios. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find. Also, at least in our area, the dance world is a somewhat small one. As dancers get older, they sometimes switch studios and you find you run into the same old friends quite often that way. So, she may not be leaving behind her friends at all by switching studios -- who knows -- maybe one or two of her friends might follow your lead. It can't hurt to take some trial classes, in any case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Many studio / schools will let you take one class free of charge. Consider taking advantage of a few before making a decision about switching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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