Summer 2006 Issue

July/Aug/Sep 2006

DON'T GET HUNG UP ON LEMON CAKE * (Chocolate and Spice are nice, too)

By: Kashani

     One of my first teachers was named Julie and she had danced with Habibi Dancers of Lansing Michigan before she came to Olympia (WA).  I was a new, shy 'baby' dancer.  I had only one teacher before her and I was VERY self-conscious (I'll have to tell you about my high school modern dance teacher sometime!!  UGH!!).  I dreaded making mistakes, so I tried to hide my moves and not be noticed - OK, those of you who know me, YES, I WAS SO SHY AT ONE TIME!!!! 

     Anyway, Julie was teaching us a choreography and I was proudly dancing along thinking
I 'had it down'.  When Julie looked at and addressed me, my heart stopped!  But, instead of saying "You're doing the WRONG step", she said "The step you're doing is lovely, but it's not the one we're using here."

     So, when one of my students is doing something that's not quite what I want right then and there, I remember Julie's kind way of handling the situation.

     What's this got to do with flavors of cake, you ask?  Well, sometimes you decide to make a lemon cake but you don't have the right ingredients, so you do a spice cake instead, just as a dancer might think she's doing 'step A' and she's got 'step B' instead - she's not wrong (the cake's not YUCKY), she's just doing something different (it's just another flavor!).  As a teacher, explain to her that it's different and that it is still a 'good' step, but not what you're asking for right then.

     I try to impart to my students that everyone can like their own 'flavor' - some dancers will find that veil is THE THING for them, some will LOVE drum solos or prop dancing, some will only dance in troupe dances - whatever they like is fine, it just might be different. 

     And, actually, I don't think I've 'met' a cake I didn't like nor have I seen a dancer that I couldn't find something positive about, so encourage your students to develop their differences - let them know it's ok.  One of the fabulous things about our dance is that it brings out the inner beauty in each of us and let's us shine at the stuff we love.

     So, THANK YOU, JULIE!!  And, I'm sure MY students should thank you, too - I've been a far better teacher having learned from you!

     DON'T FORGET - if you have questions, comments or if my column stirs memories of any teachers of your own, be sure to write me and I'll respond to you in a future issue.