Being a dance teacher

Being a dance teacher- is it only about teaching moves and techniques?📷

I've been teaching dance since 2015, and I've got all kinds of requests for lessons...📷

And quite often, it's not about the movement. I mean, if you really listen and hear what is in between the lines, it's always deeper and more personal. There is always something about life. Or the request would be about the move or technique, but to execute it, you need to see the person, not the "bone and meat" machine📷.

The most joy and fulfillment I get from teaching is when the person breaks free from the protective armor, lets go of something, and becomes relaxed and free. This is the moment they shine their light. In those moments, I feel that my mission has been accomplished.📷

Did you guys hear about somatic therapy? This happens unconsciously (or maybe consciously) during our dance journey. Dance is a metaphor for life. Movement speaks tons of us as personalities. Body language speaks about our traumas and coping mechanisms; sometimes, it doesn't whisper but screams.

I mean, ask yourself why you dance and what dance gives you as a person. And you will see. It is way more than just physical activity.

For instance, the issues people came to me with:

📷I have not enjoyed dancing recently; 📷I wanna be a comfortable partner for everyone; 📷not inspired to dance; 📷no compression (do you trust men/people in general to give them compression?); 📷enormous muscular tension, not breathing, never releasing or letting go; 📷need to impress to express; 📷feeling uncomfortable when in the spotlight; 📷too shy, anxious, don't like being seen; 📷 A random partner gave me negative feedback; 📷I freeze when stressed; 📷my boyfriend is telling me I am not sexy. Teach me some moves; 📷need to have everything planned; 📷can't improvise; 📷don't wanna look stupid; 📷I am too much/not enough; 📷I am not good at spins and will never be; 📷never present in the moment, my mind is always somewhere else; 📷I wanna be like her/him/you (why not yourself?); 📷I can never remember routine, footwork, etc; 📷I am short, tall, petite, big, and will never be able to do so and so...

The list goes on. Some people are open-minded enough to hear and see that it's not just about the move but about limiting negative beliefs born in their heads after some past experience.

Being a dance teacher is a fantastic job. I absolutely love and enjoy it. I think I found my "Ikigai."

As a dance teacher, you learn about yourself and about life with every new person.

Dance is a journey of self-discovery.

Dance teachers! Can you relate?📷