Tuesday, 9 June, 2009| Comment | Make A Comment | Share on Facebook
Before I start, yes I am officially the worst/most irregular blogger in the world. Apologese, been very busy and actually working on a few interviews where I ask awkward questions to lovely people, watch this space.
Now then...teaching.
Its the done thing, every dancer says "have to teach at some point" or "I'm gonna dance for a few years then go into teaching" or "I need some money so have to bloody teach"
All I can say is poor students
hundreds maybe even thousands of students being taught by people who just do it because its the done thing, or want a regular income (which there is nothing wrong with).
But do these people have anything useful to teach? Or just doing it because, well, its teaching, its what dancers do.
In my experience the best teachers are the ones who either really really love what they do, and are a complete Adonis when it comes to their certain subject, or have an approach to their subject which is original and interesting and they want to show other people that it can be approached differently.
For example if your learning Cunningham, you know what your going to learn before you enter the studio, anyone can make up a Cunningham phrase and teach it with little to no passion or skill themselves.( God the tediousness of generic contemporary dance classes. )But if you have ex-rehearsal director of the company who is a goddess of the technique and really loves what she does, and wants to obliterate the perception that Cunningham is dull (that so many generations of generic teachers before her have battered into our heads...
)
Then dam Cunningham the most interesting subject in the world!
Or when it comes to floor work or release technique, you don't want a teacher to come in and do swings followed by generic phrases that the contemporary dance world has repelled young audiences by boring them to death with.
You want some one who has not only discovered a way of approaching their subject with an originality and individuality that only that person can bring into the studio. But have discovered an effective way of teaching/transferring their approach to the rest of the students.
I've experienced many a phenomenal dancer, fall over their words and reduced to trembling wrecks at the hands of 10 year olds. Just because someone is a good dancer, it most definitely doesn't mean that their a good teacher.
Dancers of the world, make this pledge with me if you would.
I (insert name) Pledge to the youth of the world, that I will try my up most not to teach (unless in complete financial hardship), until I have mastered and loved completely my chosen subject or have discovered my own special way of approaching my art, and found a way to teach it effectively. If I ever do teach swings of a generic Cunningham class, let my dance clothes become ridden with moth, and my bunions become so enormously large, that I'll never be able to set foot in a dance studio ever again.
It rolls off the tongue, the dancers Grottocratic oath.
