Shouting ballet teacher

[ManagedTeaCups]

Stood outside my dd first ballet class she’s 5, not sure if teacher still knows I’m here.
I know some of the girls are doing exams soon and she said it might be tense. She’s just shouting at two girls really loud ‘for goodness sake how many times Anna’ etc
Is this normal poor dd she must be wondering what’s going on i told her it would be fun

[NewYearNiki]

Ballet teachers are nasty.

Having done it from age 3 all the way up to age 14 they are pretty strict and nasty.

At about 13 one teacher said to 2 girls leaning on the barre stop leaning leaning on it like a pair of sluts.

[ZebraOwl]

I've encountered a couple of shouty teachers as an adult & not gone back to their classes. As PPs have said, if you're shouting (unless to make yourself heard running something on stage or similar; or possibly in an emergency to gain attention) You Are Doing It Wrong.

I'd look for another ballet class. Ballet does come with discipline - you should be dressed correctly & have your hair tied back properly; and you do need to listen & learn things as accurately as possible: you're using your whole body for every movement & every stillness & it takes a long time to get that right. But it is also about learning to find a way to express yourself within The Rules; and being part of a long tradition of creating beautiful things & enjoying doing so. Dancing is meant to make you happy. Especially when you're wee.

There are, unfortunately, still abusive teachers out there. Who do things like jab screwdrivers into teenagers' backs to ensure they keep their line right. But most teachers are passionate about passing on their knowledge & experience in a positive way. Take your DD to one of them.

[ManagedTeaCups]

😮
What an awful thing to say.
There’s another class locally that her friends go to so we’ll be trying that instead!

[idontlikealdi]

Dts ballet teacher controls the class and it's her eyes. Seriously she speaks barley above a whisper but keeps a class of five year olds firmly under control.

[Witchend]

Just a word of warning though. My DC had a sweet ballet teacher, never shouted always lovely... Then dd2 started getting bullied. I approached her (she'd been a teacher) and told her. She started by denying it, then when I persisted the only response she could give was "she should rise above it".
It was so obvious that other parents were telling her too.
I moved to another school with a teacher who did sometimes shout, but she dealt with bullying straight away and wasn't afraid to tell a parent.
So sometimes the soft, nice approach has its drawbacks.

[HighwayDragon1]

DDS ballet teacher shouts, a lot! DD doesn't seem to mind and enjoys going, she's been there 4 years now, if she didn't like it then we'd move her.

[YeahInnitYeahInnitYeah]

I think we've been lucky. Wonderfully lovely and gentle ballet teachers so far, at toddler, preschool, pre primary and grade 1 classes. Not heard any shouting other than from a mum who follows her child around yelling at her to pay attention etc. Parents aren't even supposed to be in the room!

[sixteenapples]

I was told I was terrible - and loved it. The worse he told me I was, the harder he pushed me the better I did. We all loved the sport, (not ballet) and we won competetition after competetition!

I went to another class when I moved and the teacher was all about being nice and nobody learnt anything.

If it is not fun don't send your daughter. Simple. If others enjoy it - that is up to them.,

And all ballet teachers are nasty?? How ridiculous

[Dolphincrossing]

Abby Lee Miller hasn’t been released early, has she?

What’s bridgetocs problem?

[Fosterquestions]

My ballet teacher was like that, I think she enjoyed making kids cry!

[KurriKurri]

I remember watching a programme a few years back about a very talented boy from Uk who went to live in Russia to train at one of the top ballet places there. He was about 15 IIRC, My God they were strict - they kept smacking this lad if he got something wrong - totally different thinking. (Maybe Bridgetoc is one of them ? )

I mean thats not relevangt to your ltitle girl obviusly, but just an example of the thinking that sometimes accompanies dance training.
My DD is a pianist, she had a russian piano tutor at university and this woman was awful - rude vile and generally very strict. Some pupils (uni age) used to come out of thier lessons in tears. DD hated her at first then became determined not to be beaten donw and started standing up for herself. For some reason this went down well with the teacher and they reached a kind of uneasy truce. DD still thinks this woman was awful though (and she actually chose not to do a performance module in her last year because it would mean more time withthis woman)

There has to be a better way to get the best out of people than intimidation. You can get respect and instill discipline with fairness and kindness and showing respect.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Russians (and Chinese) are brutal when it comes to ballet teaching, though. That kind of training died a death years ago in the West. It's just not acceptable and none of the accredited dance organisations (RAD, ISTD etc) would sanction it in any form - not even strictness to the point of cruelty (e.g. telling students they looked like sluts).

I did a summer programme with a Russian teacher from the Maryinski (Kirov) once. Lawdy, she was a mare.