is more than one teacher at once ok?

[amy.an8]

Is it ok to go to more than one teacher at a time - is that unethical or rude or something?

I have been going to a teacher through the city adult education. I like her, can see from the posts in other threads that she does not know everything, but I like her. She holds recitals with her own students and independent troupes, other teacher's groups, independent performers, etc so I get to learn how to overcome my performance nerves and I get to see lots of styles and performers.

I think I like some of the styles from the other teachers at the recital much better but their classes are at a time I cannot attend.

I just found a belly dance studio in my town and decided to try it too. So far, dancers from this studio do not attend the recitals that my teacher holds.

Is it ok to go to my original teacher and to the new studio? I get something different from each of them.

Neither one seems to teach about the music (like what is this song about, what style it is, etc) or zills and they seem to have different styles of dance and techniques but both do focus on warmups, body positioning, avoiding injury, etc.

 

[Mosaic]

I have had 2 teachers at once for most of the time, some people find it difficult to keep things separate as all teachers can/do teach things a little differently I have found. My teachers know I go to both classes and they are fine, they actually know each other as most Prof dancers/teacher do around here.

All my teachers have encouraged their students to learn from others or try them out .. except one, my very first teacher, but she also hated it if we bought any dance wear etc from other places and not her, she would always say oh that is probably made in China so it isn't genuine, even if you did/could prove it was from Egypt for instance, she was OK as a teacher, just had funny ways
~Mosaic

 

[Jujube]

I think it's great to have more than one teacher. There are many different perspectives on BD, as well as different talents in different teachers. More instruction is always better, IMO.

 

[Mosaic]

If I had the money, the time and more teachers in the area where I live I know I would have more than 2, each teacher has taken me that bit further along the road and I love them all.
~Mosaic

 

[Farasha Hanem]

I currently have three bellydance teachers (well, two individuals, and one group), just all at the same studio. The main teacher lets those of us not in her advanced or advanced intermediate hang in the back and jump in, doing what we can do, and learning what we can. My friend and I arrive in time to catch the last thirty minutes of her class, no charge. She's a sweetheart. After the last half-hour of her class, I go to my beginner-intermediate class with my main teacher. Her class is slower paced, and I feel I do better in there because it is hard to keep up in the advanced (yeah, I know, d'uuuuuuh, of course it is! :lol: ). After one hour with my main teacher, I then go to my last class, the ATS class. There are four girls in there who form our studio's ATS troupe, Bella Fire.

I love all my teachers and classes, and try to learn as much as I can from them. IMO, if you give your teacher respect in class, she shouldn't be offended by your taking lessons from another one. You can learn something different and new from each one.

 

[lizaj]

I know there trachers who give off vibes/even say you should not seek out more tuition.
I've news for them. They do not own you. You have the free will to chose. You pay them!
I would advise a student to stay with one teacher for a term or two before chosing to add another class unless of course you really do have a problem with your first teacher.
I do think it's not a good idea to add another style of bellydance (say Turkish when you have an Egyptian style teacher to begin with ) for at least a year.
But it is very difficult to give exact time scales. Some students are ready for more before others. Some students treat classes as a social occassion and have no intentions of going anywhere else but for those eager to learn a different/another teacher is not just desirable but essential.
And do remember to ask your teacher lots of awkward questions about what she has learnt and importantly is still learning

Yes I am a teacher.

 

[Emma_Williams]

I dont think there is anything wrong with it as long as Liz says above you dont conflict with another style so early on in dancing learning.
I have one teacher who i see every week and who i seek advice from etc but I do also go to monthly workshops with another teacher (but my teacher attends those too so dont feel bad). I personally would find it a struggle even just studying egyptian to have 2 constant teachers but i am sure it works for others.
I personally would find it hard not being confused by things if one teacher did one thing one way and another did it another way.

 

[Aniseteph]

I do think it's not a good idea to add another style of bellydance (say Turkish when you have an Egyptian style teacher to begin with ) for at least a year.
But it is very difficult to give exact time scales.

This is a very good point. It's good to be keen, but until you have a handle on the basics, and some sort of grasp of what makes the different styles what they are, it could make things harder.

It isn't rude or unethical to go to more than one teacher, as long as you don't end up with conflicting commitments like not being able to go to teacher A's rehearsals because you are going to B's class, and don't bring teacher B's teaching into A's classroom. "Oh, B says you should do this move like this, not like that". :naghty:

Some teachers don't see it that way of course - be aware that a few might and take it as a personal slight, or have ongoing drama with other teachers/studios .

 

[GypsyStacey]

hmmm so i guess what y'all are saying is I shouldn't be going to the Egyptian class or the Bollywood workshop after 2 months of classes?

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

hmmm so i guess what y'all are saying is I shouldn't be going to the Egyptian class or the Bollywood workshop after 2 months of classes?

No no -- first of all Bollywood is a completely different kind of dance. It would be like taking bellydance and then also taking a tap dance class. Don't sweat the Bollywood workshop

It CAN be confusing for newbies if one teacher instructs in a radically different fashion than another one. CAN be -- doesn't have to be.

Just separate out the class content. For Monday's class, do as Monday teacher instructs. For Thursday's class, do as Thursday's teacher instructs. Keep the content separate for a bit, and don't try to apply what Monday teacher says to Thursday teacher's class -- FOR NOW. Later, when you're more comfortable with it all, you can analyze both classes and see what works for you.


Now what I don't want is someone performing MY group choreographies at public events sponsored by another instructor, without my permission. I have a name and a reputation to uphold. I don't want my choreographies being performed in a porn shop or my name mentioned in association with a strip tease night or anything of that sort.

Plus, I have personally been a part of 2 troupes at once, and it's difficult to divide your energy. I think PERFORMING with one teacher is a better idea, but STUDYING with many can be very very helpful.

 

[GypsyStacey]

No no -- first of all Bollywood is a completely different kind of dance. It would be like taking bellydance and then also taking a tap dance class. Don't sweat the Bollywood workshop

It CAN be confusing for newbies if one teacher instructs in a radically different fashion than another one. CAN be -- doesn't have to be.

Just separate out the class content. For Monday's class, do as Monday teacher instructs. For Thursday's class, do as Thursday's teacher instructs. Keep the content separate for a bit, and don't try to apply what Monday teacher says to Thursday teacher's class -- FOR NOW. Later, when you're more comfortable with it all, you can analyze both classes and see what works for you.


Now what I don't want is someone performing MY group choreographies at public events sponsored by another instructor, without my permission. I have a name and a reputation to uphold. I don't want my choreographies being performed in a porn shop or my name mentioned in association with a strip tease night or anything of that sort.

Plus, I have personally been a part of 2 troupes at once, and it's difficult to divide your energy. I think PERFORMING with one teacher is a better idea, but STUDYING with many can be very very helpful.

Okay well that makes sense to me. The reason I was asking is I would like to learn about different styles, but can't really get a feel for them until I dance them does that make sense?

 

[lizaj]

hmmm so i guess what y'all are saying is I shouldn't be going to the Egyptian class or the Bollywood workshop after 2 months of classes?

I am talking styles of BELLYDANCE...I thought that's what we were discussing

 

[GypsyStacey]

I am talking styles of BELLYDANCE...I thought that's what we were discussing

yes i screwed up sorry. the mention of bollywood is not a style of BD my bad. but i thought Egyptian was as i also have a chance to take that as well. please forgive my ignorance.

~backs away from thread~

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

Don't back away from the thread !

Seriously, learn as much as you can. But expect to have to be constantly revising your opinions and likes/dislikes.

As you get more experience, you will want to "re-learn" the stuff all over again, in the context of your new knowledge. When I first started trying to learn Turkish Oriental, I had some pretty "concrete" ideas of what it was supposed to be. Then I studied Egyptian and Egyptian folkloric for a while, and then dipped into Turkish Romani -- and all of that has really helped me understand Turkish Oriental a LOT better. And now I know my "concrete" ideas are a little more substantial and grounded in a more educated base.

It's the old saying, the more you know about a subject, the more you realize how little you actually know about it! That's intimidating at first, but SO much fun later, when you just go with it and view everything as a learning experience.

 

[lizaj]

yes i screwed up sorry. the mention of bollywood is not a style of BD my bad. but i thought Egyptian was as i also have a chance to take that as well. please forgive my ignorance.

~backs away from thread~

backing away isn't allowed:lol:

There isn't a problem learning another dance form at the same time..in fact if you ever intend to do any fusing..best you know them both really well than a little bit of this and a little bit of that!
But I do think students aught to get say Egyptian dance well established before embarking on a course of Turkish style.
That said there is nothing wrong with going to a workshop that will illustrate what is special about another style than you main. And nothing wrong with going to a workshop just for the experience.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

I know there trachers who give off vibes/even say you should not seek out more tuition.
I've news for them. They do not own you. You have the free will to chose. You pay them!
I would advise a student to stay with one teacher for a term or two before chosing to add another class unless of course you really do have a problem with your first teacher.
I do think it's not a good idea to add another style of bellydance (say Turkish when you have an Egyptian style teacher to begin with ) for at least a year.
But it is very difficult to give exact time scales. Some students are ready for more before others. Some students treat classes as a social occassion and have no intentions of going anywhere else but for those eager to learn a different/another teacher is not just desirable but essential.
And do remember to ask your teacher lots of awkward questions about what she has learnt and importantly is still learning

Yes I am a teacher.

I totally agree with you, Lizaj. Perhaps I should have clarified a few things for the sake of our new members here, sorry! I'm now somewhere in the middle of my third year of dance class. The first two years I spent with a young lady who started teaching in my town, and during those two years, she got married, and it wasn't long before she was expecting. Near the end of her third trimester, she had to give up teaching, so as of last summer, we all go to her teacher's studio, which is 30 minutes away.

My friends and I started out in our former teacher's intermediate/advanced class, all as students of her teacher. However, after a couple of months, it was obvious that we were struggling, so our new teacher suggested we go to the intermediate/beginner class, where we learn at a slower pace to make sure we get our basics down.

I didn't start my beginner ATS class until shortly after the new year, and hey, I'm just a baby ATSling! No way am I ready to start performing ATS. :redface: I hope I didn't give any new members here the wrong impression. If you jump into more than you can handle at the beginning, it'll lead to a lot of frustration. Go at the pace that's best for you.

BTW, I love Bollywood!

 

[Afrit]

yes i screwed up sorry. the mention of bollywood is not a style of BD my bad. but i thought Egyptian was as i also have a chance to take that as well. please forgive my ignorance.

"Egyptian" is a style of belly dance. Bollywood is not.

If you are doing "generic" belly dance then classes in Egyptian may be an interesting extra (assuming of course that it is Egyptian). However, even generic classes from two different teachers can give you extra depth.

Again - just watch the conflicts for reheasals etc

 

[Anthea Kawakib]

Not an "ethics" question, but an "effective learning" one

As a teacher the only thing that bugs me about when students study elsewhere concurrently is that they keep getting things mixed up :lol:
It makes for more corrections on my part -

No seriously folks, for beginners, I do recommend studying just one style/method until you have a base; then take workshops, try another teacher etc.

It's like signing up for Spanish class and French class at the same time. Sure, why not! But don't you think that's a lot to try and learn at the same time? Get your Spanish down for a year or so, then add French -

 

[Kashmir]

As a teacher the only thing that bugs me about when students study elsewhere concurrently is that they keep getting things mixed up :lol:

I once had an experienced student who was learning folk from me, orientale from another teacher and tribal from a third. It became a standing joke that we'd go over posture and approach at the start of each lesson to get her in teh right headspace

 

[Jane]

If you are only taking classes and not in a student or pro troupe, multiple teachers is a decision that can only be made by you, not them. As others have said, it's your money and your decision; you have to make the best decision for you. If you are in a troupe or want to join one, the artistic director or teacher may choose to not have their dancers in any other classes because of the possibility of affecting your style and make you move differently than the other dancers in the troupe. Not every AD or teacher makes this choice, but it's a possibility.

There are however, some things you should consider when you decide to take from other teachers. First off, it should be a good teacher. Hopefully, all your teachers will be very good! No point in studying with someone who can't dance or teach well. Next, will you be learning other dance forms or will you stick with belly dance and it's spin-off dances? How do you learn best? Are you able to compartmentalize your brain and do a few different styles? Years ago I had the worst time doing Irish step dance class too close to my American Oriental belly dance class, it really screwed me up because I just couldn't wrap my head around it. If this kind of issue does not bother you or mess you up then you are all set!

I think when you are starting out, it's good to learn Egyptian, Turkish, or Lebanese style first, maybe for a year or two, and then do some exploring to find out what style speaks to your heart. IMO it's important to start with a Egyptian, Turkish, or Lebanese base to get a solid foundation in the art of belly dance in it's culture of origin. All the spin off dances must have an authentic belly dance as a base. If you have a choice of good teachers from the big three, personally I'd pick Egyptian. Think of it as learning ballet before moving into lyrical, jazz, or any of the other dances based in classical western dance.

I hardly take anything besides Egyptian or Turkish anymore. I know I learn best by total immersion and trying to do too many thing at once screws me up. I'm not a jack of all trades master of none type, but others may find it fits them best!

P.S. I took my first Tribal Fusion class last week and it felt like American Oriental with different arms. I looked sooo different from the other dancers and felt very self conscious! :lol: