Pleasant dancer
New member
Lovely Forum folks, I need some advice (or at the very least confirmation that I'm not being unreasonable!) I just received an email and I'm pondering my answer (my initial reaction was that it was a bit of a cheek so I want to keep it professional!). The background to this is that recently I took an hour long taster class for a parents' group at the school I rent a dance studio from to teach my classes. Some of the ladies (including the one who emailed me) wanted to do a beginners course, but this is on hold as I don't have the numbers for new class right now. I want to keep it friendly as I don't want to sour relationships with this group for the future. I received payment from the school for this event and received the studio free of charge. The ladies got the class free of charge, subsidised by the school.
Quoted email (slightly adjusted to retain anonymity):
"My yoga teacher is running a '..... Day of Yoga' on ......(3 weeks time!) and has asked me to do a 30 minute slot of belly dancing as a surprise slot. Naively I said yes!
What I thought we could do is some basic movements and put them together to do a circular dance. Can you give me some help with what is practical/possible to do in such a short time? Would you mind if I came and saw you at one of your classes?
If you have some business cards I could then pass them on at the Yoga day."
So - you want to teach a 30 minute class, having no experience other that an hour taster. You want me to advise you for free what to do (giving you the benefit of 6 years teaching experience and adult ed qualifications etc). You want to come to a class and see what I do to give you some idea of how to do it (for free?). But it's ok, you'll hand out out some of my business cards in case they want to continue with belly dancing.....
Any thought on how to compose my reply? I could offer to do the slot for her (although it's the day after a festival and I'll be tired) but I don't think there is any money involved and I'm feeling a bit unhelpful/disenchanted at the moment. I could ask for travelling expenses I suppose, but don't know where it's held (probably local). :think:
Hope this is the right thread for this, Mods please move it if I'm wrong!
Quoted email (slightly adjusted to retain anonymity):
"My yoga teacher is running a '..... Day of Yoga' on ......(3 weeks time!) and has asked me to do a 30 minute slot of belly dancing as a surprise slot. Naively I said yes!
What I thought we could do is some basic movements and put them together to do a circular dance. Can you give me some help with what is practical/possible to do in such a short time? Would you mind if I came and saw you at one of your classes?
If you have some business cards I could then pass them on at the Yoga day."
So - you want to teach a 30 minute class, having no experience other that an hour taster. You want me to advise you for free what to do (giving you the benefit of 6 years teaching experience and adult ed qualifications etc). You want to come to a class and see what I do to give you some idea of how to do it (for free?). But it's ok, you'll hand out out some of my business cards in case they want to continue with belly dancing.....
Any thought on how to compose my reply? I could offer to do the slot for her (although it's the day after a festival and I'll be tired) but I don't think there is any money involved and I'm feeling a bit unhelpful/disenchanted at the moment. I could ask for travelling expenses I suppose, but don't know where it's held (probably local). :think:
Hope this is the right thread for this, Mods please move it if I'm wrong!
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