Break-Through #1: Teaching Purpose Defined

Today was what my partner would call a "sitting on a rock" day. There were many things to do, but I chose to just sit for a while on my thoughts about dance technique, my career, paying the bills, and the future.

Let's Talk Business...and its Psychology
I have a new job at a massage therapy and wellness center - which I love - and I'm learning so much from the owner about running a business and communicating with people. For instance, a potential client called and the first thing he asked was, "What is the price of a massage?" After my boss/the owner - Angela, we'll call her - finished the call, she walked me through it.
"When someone asks about the price," she said, "It's really a conversation starter. What they want is a reason for coming here. 'Give me a reason,' he's saying. I don't like to build price-sensitive clients," she continued. "We're all price-sensitive right now, I know, but I want to explain to them what they're getting out of an appointment. We're one of the few practitioners in this business who give full 60-minute hands-on massage. Most other chains give 50-minute hours - they short-change their therapists (paying them less) and their clients. In addition to a full hour, we also give the client information about things they can do at home to maintain their physical health. We are not sales people, we are educators who provide a quality service. We need to let them know that."
Amen, girlfriend.
"So when they ask about price, you want to answer the question, but also explain what it is that they're getting."

My Dance Philosophy
This conversation made me focus more clearly on what it was I wanted to give people. Did I want to sell myself as a teacher? No. I wanted people to have quality dance instruction. People my age who enter the industry tend to be trained as salespeople, not teachers. So what does quality mean to me? I'll tell you. I came up with my dance philosophy/angle this morning:

My goal is to provide students with clear, concise, and simple dance instruction. This information will involve basic body mechanics that any average, able-bodied person can perform. I will also teach the "why" behind the movement, so that students will understand when and how to apply exercises in new situations on the floor. 

In other words, 1) I'm not going to fill up a session with fluffy conversation for the sake of filling time, and 2) I want my students to have knowledge of their body so that they can manipulate around the floor smoothly in any situation. The unexpected happens all the time on the floor; I want my students to "go with it" on their own. They can't do that if they only know steps.