Someone has responded to my gumtree advert for a ballet instructor

[CharlieChuck]

....I've already had a few imposters but this woman seems genuine, or at least I hope she is...She teaches at home and is easy enough to get to but on google maps it says her address is just a pile of rubble. Now the images only go up to September 2012 so I'm not sure if her house has been newly built or if it's beside it or what.

 

What should I look out for, what can I ask, what can I do to make sure she's not an imposter?

 

Sorry if this has already been posted. 

[Anna C]

I would ask what qualifications she has. Certainly don't commit to anything more than one short trial lesson - or not even that; you could ask if you can watch a class.

[dancemad]

Could also ask where she trained. SandP's suggestion of asking to watch a class is a great idea.

[Lisa O`Brien]

I agree with the above. I certainly would not part with any money until you had checked her out.

Edited June 17, 2014 by thequays

[Thecatsmother]

You could ask if he/she is a registered teacher with any dance organisation eg ISTD, RAD etc as you should be able to check this out with the organisation direct. I would also be wanting to know that they had insurance and some form of CRB check which I think has been renamed recently hence my slightly vague terminology.

I agree that you should watch a class and not leave your child unsupervised until you know more. No teacher will feel offended if you ask these questions.

This is not to say that being a member of an organisation makes them a good teacher just that it might be a way in to finding out a little more about their background if they are in anyway linked to one.

I would proceed with caution until you feel convinced this is the right route as there are plenty of other routes to find teachers should you need to.

[alison]

I know that some teachers do teach from home, but it's always seemed a little strange to me.  I'd want to know what the facilities are like: an actual studio, simply a carpet rolled up and floorboards underneath, or what?

[aussie ballet mum]

 

It probably goes without saying but Once you've got all that information, I'd definitely be going to the home with someone else.

Just for your own safety to begin with.

[Dancer Sugar Plum]

I like all the advice given so far, even if you are looking for a class for yourself rather than for a DS or DD. Watching a class first and bringing someone else along are great ideas.

 

Whether or not the teacher is a member of an organisation, it's worth asking about where she/he has taught ballet and what where the age ranges of the classes they taught. If they are a 'real' teacher they should be comfortable giving you this information. You can then do more research on those schools if you wish.

[Lisa O`Brien]

Dancer Sugar Plum,Don`t think i`m trying to scare you in any way in what i`m about to say,because i`m not. Simply to reinforce what myself and others have said. Although i`m sure you`ll be fine. 20 odd years ago,in between dance contracts,i answered an ad i saw in the Manchester Evening News. "Professional artist requires Models,male and female. Experience preferred but not essential.Good rates,etc".  Sounded good. So I did all the usual things you are supposed to do. After chatting on the phone,we arranged to meet in a public place;somewhere in a cafe in the centre of Manchester. He showed me his portfolio of work,which was impressive to say the least. We chatted over coffee for about an hour,him telling me what type of freelance work he does,what to expect from the sitting with him,etc.He was very polite, courteous and professional. He told me his studio was in a spare room in his house as he couldn`t afford to rent somewhere separate,which seemed reasonable enough. A few days later I made my way to the address he had given me.Yes, it was his flat,in a large house.But there wasn`t a separate "studio"; he had a bedsit, and his "artist things" were just in the one corner of the room.His bed was in the other. I knew i was in trouble when he told me he loved the photographs I had shown him with me in my dancing costumes/bits of modelling I had done. He said,"I`ve never met anyone like you before". Major alarm bells right there.If he was indeed a professional artist,specialising in drawing people,surely he would be used to reasonably good looking people as well as drawing "character" people? Then the door locked. He told me [bearing in mind I had only met him for the first time ever a few days earlier] that he was in love with me,and that if I just stayed with him for long enough I would feel the same way about him. I was locked in the bedsit with him for around 4 hours. He wouldn`t let me go,or phone anyone. He was convinced if he kept me there I would "love him too". He never harmed me in any way,never laid a hand on me. But I do think that in a way was to the way I handled the situation. Very calmly,keeping friendly. Eventually I heard someone come into the flat upstairs,and I screamed as loudly as I could.Bless him,the man upstairs rushed down and banged on the door,demanding he open it straight away.I told him everything that had happened, and he kindly walked me to the bus stop and waited until I was safely on the bus. Before I left with the neighbour the "artist",was beside himself, sobbing and saying he loved me and he just wanted to keep me to himself.  Complete nutter.PLEASE don`t think i`m trying to scare you, as i`m not.!!! But all the same, you know yourself, to be careful. There Are weirdos out there.!!

[Fiz]

Oh, L, thank goodness you met a kindly nutter! I think you are right about the reason he stayed non violent too. Thank goodness the other man was a person too. *shudders*

[Fiz]

I meant to say "good person"!