Jump to content

I'm so angry!!!


Happymum

Recommended Posts

I'm sorry, I have to get it out of my chest!

My DS is a keen and promising ballet dancer but he also loves street dance (break dancing, locking, waving, popping - Michael Jackson style etc). He trains once a month at Tring but then he just practises at home with DVDs and YouTube tutorials (and The Next Step episodes :-) ).

We live in the middle of nowhere with no street dance classes available. Because we are all constantly looking for a class I finally found one, and just for boys, group age perfect for him. He was over the moon even though it was an hour drive away. We went this afternoon but after the class my DS said he doesn't want to go again.

He says that the boys were ok though they were swearing (8-12 years old!), the teacher (a woman) was OK as well but at some point she said to the class "come on!, you want to look strong not like some weak and flimsy ballet dancers!"

Can you believe it? How a dance teacher who should encourage children to try any form of dance could be so ignorant? Such shame!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agree Taxi, though my son said that she probably didn't hear it as boys were talking quietly between them selves.

This class is one of quite a few run in this new centre - part of a big project of local government. For a moment I though about writing s feedback to the centre but I don't think it's worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How ridiculous! Surely she cannot really believe that and was just saying it for effect?

 

In any event it's a very silly and insulting comment.

 

We are big fans of The Next Step in our house and dd has a dance crush on Eldon hehe

 

Dd got through to national auditions for TNS and in the slot that she was in there were a few vocational hoodies in sight :)

 

Such a shame your ds had that experience :(

 

Have you seen the 'jusmove' app by Matt Steffanina. Dd loves it though not quite brave enough to upload videos just yet.

 

If you can get into London occasionally for classes there's some good classes at pineapple for all sorts of hip hop and commercial jazz and there's a tonne of males in there

 

Good luck :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

surprising update!

I did receive a reply from the centre:

 

"I'm surprised she [the teacher] made any comments as she has done ballet herself during her degree and encourages all the boys to get involved in ballet and contemporary dance to improve technique in street dance and many boys do".

 

Well, I asked my son again what exactly the teacher said last night, suggesting that maybe he misunderstood her. So he apologised for bad language and quote: "you want to look strong, rock hard, non of this flimsy flamsy ballet cr*p".

It turns out that he softened it a bit for me yesterday.

Anyway, not going to her classes ever again! Guess she didn't enjoy her ballet training or has other issues with ballet dancing. Or maybe she wanted to be "cool" ? It definitely didn't work and was so unprofessional.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If your son was offended by this teacher, then that is enough not to go back, whatever her true meaning. If nothing else, she was misguided and as a teacher of impressionable young boys she should put more thought into her comments.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Age 8-12 is a bit young for that type of phrase now I've looked back at your op

 

I would expect it maybe in an age 12-15 group.

 

Would you?? Must be time for me to retire then because the day I had resort to talking to anyone like this, let alone a pupil, is the day it is time to give up!

Hope your son has more luck at a more suitable school Happymum.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would you?? Must be time for me to retire then because the day I had resort to talking to anyone like this, let alone a pupil, is the day it is time to give up!

Hope your son has more luck at a more suitable school Happymum.

I wouldn't expect the teacher to use a phrase like that in any class as its unprofessional, but I'd definitely expect kids of secondary school age to say things a lot worse than just "crap".

 

Good luck with your search for a better class Happymum! x

Edited by TabbyCool
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't expect the teacher to use a phrase like that in any class as its unprofessional, but I'd definitely expect kids of secondary school age to say things a lot worse than just "crap".

 

Good luck with your search for a better class Happymum! x

 

Really? Well if my 'older' girls came out with anything worse then they would be asked to leave. Can't be doing with any of it.....and they know it too ;) 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really? Well if my 'older' girls came out with anything worse then they would be asked to leave. Can't be doing with any of it.....and they know it too ;)

 

Of course how they talk with their friends is one thing, how they conduct themselves in class is another matter! I'd expect them to behave themselves in class!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pictures, is that really a skillful and productive way to describe how to improve on the first attempt? :-( When you think of the cost of lessons, I'd expect a more considered response. Also, when you think about how much time children spend in the company of their dance teachers, how to dance is not the only thing they learn...

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My just five year old grandson has "gone off" Frozen, which he adored, because someone told him it was for girls! Grrr! I let my sons play Mummies and Daddies with their teddy bears - even bought them a dolls pushchair and tea set. I took them to see ballet too. What's the result? They are absolutely amazingly caring fathers to their children (both girls and boys)and helpful husbands to their wives - why do people have to compartmentalise and label everything according to gender...... You can emphasize that street dance has to be strong and full of energy without implying that ballet dancers are "sissy"!

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dd has seen a class told to "do that again it was Shite". She's a good mimic & did a funny reconstruction.

I wouldn't class shite as swearing. It's such a useful word. I was a student in Liverpool where it was used ALOT.

 

My Ds (year 13) did a ballet street fusion dance he'd choreographed himself at a school (regular state school) dance evening last week. It worked fantastically well and the kids loved it. He was definitely the cool guy of the evening. But it has only taken 6 years for him to get the courage to show anyone at school some ballet.

 

If you can Happymum, I would try to find another street class because it is a very useful way for ballet boys to link up with other male dancers and influence each other to try new things. Having said that his ballet teacher has never been that keen on the idea.

 

When ds did the dance associates scheme at Hammond they were given street classes as well as ballet and contemporary or whatever the other classes were, which I can't remember now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What has that got to do with the price of fish?

Because a Mum/Cathy said that 'shite' isn't always considered swearing as such and mentioned that it was used frequently (and without causing great offence?) when she trained in Liverpool.

 

Is it like 'feck' perhaps? Which sounds terribly rude in England but is considered mild in Ireland.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Because a Mum/Cathy said that 'shite' isn't always considered swearing as such and mentioned that it was used frequently (and without causing great offence?) when she trained in Liverpool.

 

Is it like 'feck' perhaps? Which sounds terribly rude in England but is considered mild in Ireland.

 

 

I still don't see that the origin of the person making the comment has any bearing on this discussion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My daughter has danced in Liverpool plenty of times and St Helens and no one has used words such as sh... Or cr.p Her teachers have always spoken professionally and I'm glad because I do consider both words mentioned as swear words.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...