Teacher Loyalty - a dying virtue?

I have written in the past of teacher loyalty, both in the "Teacher Loyalty Redux" as well as expressed my own homage to my dance Mommas in the lengthily named post "Sharon has two mommies...no, wait...four...no" The former is an expression of the business/consumer aspect of teaching--students pay for classes, we teach them, and that is all that can really be expected of anyone; that is, a good faith fulfillment of your "product" to the customer.  The latter being a loving, grateful homage to the teachers who have molded me into the dancer I am today.

This is a complex issue--entire dissertations have been written about the student/teacher relationship, what it is, how it develops, what are the boundaries, etc.  But aside from a scholarly discussion, there is an undeniable emotional aspect which is important to look within ourselves to work out... As you can see from my caveat in the first blog post, and the subsequent bloggy homage to my Mommies, I have personally always felt that my teachers are my mentors, my inspirations, my family tree.  I feel deeply rooted to their influences and energies (the recent name change being an outward reflection of that conviction).  And now being a teacher on the other end of the equation, I can attest that there are unique and powerful emotions we teachers experience which we have to deal with on our own, particularly at times when we feel more invested in a student than they may feel in us...

The Tribal Code

THE TRIBAL CODE
* Written/Created by the lovely and talented ladies of FatChanceBellyDance:

Commitment: Be there for your dance sisters. Whether it’s making sure your cues are strong or getting to a gig on time, we all need to depend on one another.

Communication: Ask questions and learn from the more experienced dancers and teachers. Also, don’t let things fester. Express yourself in a constructive, respectful way.

Awareness: Be aware of how your words or actions can affect others. What makes sense to you may be understood differently by someone else. Take considerations to think before you speak or act.

Teflon: Don’t take things personally! There are too many unique individuals in this group to avoid minor misunderstandings. Let things slide off your ego – don’t let things stick!

Humility: We all can benefit from going to Level 1 and Level 2 classes and working on technique. We can also benefit from allowing room for all our personalities to exist.

Trust: This dance form is founded on trust, on and off the dance floor. Earn people’s trust and give yours as well.

Respect: Treat your fellow dancers (and human beings) with compassionate respect and be mindful of others’ talents and limitations. Respect the dance form for what it is rather than how you would change it.

Support: Come to the shows of FatChanceBellyDance (and Deep Roots Dance!) and of your fellow dancers. Not only does it support the dancers, it is a great way to learn about performance!

Joy: Dance for the love of it! Enjoy yourself and the company of others.

Don't Forget the Joy

Lauren Zehara (at right) recently posted this note on her Facebook page, and I wanted to make sure that a wide audience would be able to read and appreciate her simple yet profound wisdom--in short, that there is room for all kinds of dancers in the bellydance community, from hobbyist to professional and everything in between.  With her permission, I have shred the entirety of her note below. To read more excellent articles from Lauren Zehara, visit her web page at www.bellydancestuff.com

"Once in a while I feel like it's important to talk about the real reasons most of our students walk in the door, and the things they really want from us.

They signed up for a bellydance class because they thought it would be fun! They want to get some exercise and learn some dance moves. Leave behind their jobs, kids, responsibilities, maybe dress up in something sparkly or jingly and express themselves. Make friends, that's a biggie -- many of my students have confided in me that most of their circle of friends has come from the studio.

Those are incredibly lofty and important goals -- perhaps more important, on a human level, than competing for restaurant gigs or trophies.

A classic interview with Paulette Rees-Denis

I wanted to share this interview/article from several years ago in which Paulette was interviewed by a local NW dancer, Oberon, on iShimmy.com


There was always a fateful connection for me with Paulette...a reason why I was drawn to her, that was not simply geographical proximity. And those who know me will see how much we speak with the same voice on so many issues. I have always been inspired by how she has found such articulate, positive ways to channel her passion for bellydance, and all the nuances of artistic ethics and community building. She has always been, and continues to be, a mentor to me on so many levels, and I loved re-visiting this article and be reminded again why I am so proud to call her my original tribal bellydance "Momma". I hope you enjoy it, too!

Shay has two Mommies...no, wait...four...no...

This week I have been musing a lot on how I got to where I am today. What have my roots been? How do those humble beginnings and tentative steps still inform who I am today as a dancer, as a director, as a teacher? So I have been running down the list in brief of all my dance mommas and aunties. I have taken many many workshops of course--and there are many dancers who I have had limited contact with (due to distance or time in history), yet still had a profound effect on me from afar--but I am confining this to teachers I have studied with or been influenced by directly over a significant period of time.