I'm so sick of being talked to like a child especially by dancer teachers. My current belly dance instructor is a nice lady, sometimes. But when she teaches, oh my Lord! She never explains what muscles to use, or what the step actually is unless students are having issues with it. She has only a few times mentioned what proper posture is for belly dance. Sadly, I am waiting for the girl who complains that the step doesn't look right and her back hurts. I remind the people near to tuck their pelvis and bend their knees, but I can't reach the entire class.
I dislike that my current instructor is stuck on only one style of belly dance. I think class would be more interesting if she taught variations, or at least let us know which style we are doing. Another thing...belly dance is one of those styles that is open to interpretation. So what may be a taxim to you, may be something else to me. What you call a camel, could be know as an arabic in my head. I believe it is important for teachers to make the distinction that different teachers call movements different things. Or even that in different styles of belly dance call movements other things.
A belly dance teacher shouldn't make you feel afraid to say 'hey, what if I want to do a tribal fusion piece' or 'hey, I was inspired by Belly Dance Super Stars (or some other famous belly dancers) to do such and such...' A belly dance teacher should be informative and inspiring.
I also think its important for belly dance teachers to remember that they may have a class room full of beginners. Any good dance teacher will tell you, its important to take things slow. Feel out your classroom. If you have a lot of beginners, then don't plan on teaching your most difficult choreography. And don't think that if your favorite student gets it, that its not hard.
Please teachers, be more open-minded, be curteous to your students and inspire them.
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