I’ve been teaching a long time.I’ve taught at a lot of studios in a lot of different environments. For the most part, the majority of my employers have been very hands-off in terms of my choreography. I always hoped that meant they liked my work and trusted me to grow their students and make them look good in performance. What I’ve discovered is, more often than not, they’re just afraid to say anything. They don’t to want to overstep their boundaries. They’re worried that the teacher might get upset or take it personally. In many cases, they’re probably right. The teacher might very well take it personally or feel insulted.
Guess what…that’s their problem. As a studio owner, your job is to ensure that your students are getting the best training available to them and that those kids feel good about the work they’re putting onstage. Teachers come and go, but as an owner, you’ve watched these kids grow up and you’ll probably watch their kids grow up. You know their families and you know what they are capable of as dancers. Having 16 fouette turns in a dance for eight year olds just isn’t practical unless they’re a group of phenoms. But having them do lindys back and forth on stage when they’re capable of more isn’t either.
For the past two years, I’ve been teaching at two different studios. Both have been in operation for over 20 years. These people know what they’re doing. So when they came to me with concerns about my choreography, I listened. I was excited to get feedback and even some criticism about my work. I want to grow as a teacher and an artist. How can I do that without someone sitting me down and saying, 'this is good, this is great, but this needs work?'
As teachers, we have many responsibilities; but we tend to let our ego get in the way of what is really important. The students! We have to remember that our choices in our work directly impact a group of kids and how they see, and feel about, themselves. It’s important to let go of our ego and listen to outside observations as a means to ensure that these kids are getting what they need. Not to mention, it will probably make our work look better! We also have to remember that, for the owner, it’s a business and their livelihood. They have a vested interest in the quality of our work. They’ve invested a lot in us. They’re not trying to hinder us or squash us, they’re trying to make us better so their business can continue to grow.
Here are some simple ways to address the situation from the Owner/Director’s vantage point and then some possible ways to handle it from the teacher’s perspective.
Owner:
1. Take a look at the piece as a whole. Is it simply too long? Perhaps it could be improved simply by cutting it down or changing the tempo.
2. Unless it’s completely inappropriate, avoid addressing the movement specifically. A lot of young teachers are in process of establishing their own style and movement vocabulary. This can put them in a defensive stance and cause them to shut down artistically. If you do need to address the movement, try to express something specific you like and then address something that could use some 'tweaking.' One of my employers recently expressed her concerns in terms of musical dynamic. She watched the piece at competition and just felt that the movement wasn’t matching the energy of the music. BRILLIANT!
3. Talk to them about staging. Seeing the movement from different vantage points, changing angles or making it move can hide flaws but also give them ideas for new movement possibilities.
4. Ask leading questions in regards to concept and arc. Get them to explain to you their thought process with the intention of really understanding the piece. If you feel it’s not communicating to the audience, address that. The last thing any artist wants is to leave the audience thinking, 'What the heck was that?!'
5. Be a filter. We all know that parents have a lot of opinions. Try to protect your teacher from the untrained eye. If someone comes to you with a concern, choose whether it’s valid and bring it to the teacher in a timely fashion so the parent doesn’t intercept them and do it themselves. This can be a very difficult situation to recover from, especially if you want to retain that teacher for the next season.
Teachers:
1. Listen! These people own a studio for a reason. If they’ve been around a long time, there’s a reason. The point of being an artist is to grow. If you’re unwilling to do that, 20 years from now, people will be saying about you what they say about a lot of teachers we say are stuck in the 80’s.
2. You don’t have to commit to change immediately, but you can commit to the possibility of change. Give yourself sometime to digest the criticisms and really play them out. See if they don’t open something up in you that you never saw or addressed before. It could be the thing you need to take your work to the next level.
3. Try to remember that, while it’s your work, it’s not about you. It’s about the kids. Your job is to give them solid technique through a logical progressive syllabus that will train them properly. Challenge them, but don’t throw them into 10 feet of water if they’re just learning how to doggy paddle.
4. If you like you’re job, be open to criticism. Some people are born micromanagers and feel the need to have a hand in every piece their business puts out. It doesn’t mean they don’t trust you or like your work, they just feel the need to be heard. If you’re not willing to listen, don’t be surprised if you’re not asked back the next season.
5. Don’t ask for an opinion if you don’t want to hear the answer. Always be ready for negative feedback. Dance is very subjective, and not everyone likes everything. Nor is any artist perfect. We have our good days and our bad days and not all of our pieces will be masterpieces. Be wiling to accept that and only ask for opinions from those that really matter…the people signing your paycheck!
I hope this article gives you some ways to approach a potentially hazardous situation and avoid tension in your studio.After all, it’s a second home to your students; and who wants to be dancing on eggshells?