The Top 5 Things I have learned from teaching movement (that have nothing to do with teaching movement)
I taught my first dance class at 16 years old, and have basically been teaching some form of movement ever since. Although it hasn’t always carried a dream salary, it is a dream job, and I feel very grateful for having a job that challenges me intellectually, physically, socially, and that is fun! Here are the top 5 things that I have learned over these 30+ years:
Everyone has something to teach me. I was quite young when I started teaching, and so, of course, I thought I knew everything about everything. Thankfully, early in my teaching career, I learned to open my ears and appreciate the experience and knowledge that my students shared with me about their lives, and about life in general, and once that started, basically there was no one I couldn’t appreciate. I don’t always share the same opinion as others, but I appreciate their point of view and experience now more than ever.
Plan less for the future, live more in the present. I am a recovering planner. I love to show up for my day prepared and in control. The problem with this control strategy, is that I was not always paying attention to what my students were showing up with that day, and instead I would execute my prepared plan of what I thought would be best for them. Now, I trust more in the knowledge that I have - not just in my head, but in my cell tissues, and so I don’t need to think so much about what to offer my students each day, rather, I just need to access all the training, the education, and the wisdom that I already have inside of me, and give it away. It really is a question of earned trust, and of both listening to my students and to my own instincts. Not only are my days less stressful this way, they are WAY more effective and enjoyable.
The language of the body is just as rich and nuanced as our verbal language. I have learned to listen to the small voices of tension or discordance inside of me, and to honour them. I have learned how to notice when my body is not in agreement or alignment with something, and to take that seriously. I have learned to prioritize my internal sense of wellbeing over external markers of wellbeing. I have experienced moments of deep relaxation and peace when I have been able to listen to and honour my own body and being, and it is a wonderful thing, as far as I am concerned. The body does not lie. All of this - I have tried to transmit to my students, so that they too can feel, know and trust in their own body intelligence.
With practice, it is possible to express the subtle. Teaching movement obligated me to investigate how to describe sensations, small, internal movements, and styles of moving. It’s amazing how important it can be to clearly describe, step by step, the process of inhaling, for example. Life has become richer for me not only because of the awareness required to do this, but also because of the confidence required within me to obligate my students to learn to appreciate the subtle. Sometimes it is great to ‘feel the burn” - I love it - but it is also so great to feel the tiniest change - and how it makes all the difference in the world.
We learn the most when we are having fun. It is truly a ‘win-win’ situation. I have been to many a movement class where the teacher’s favourite word was ‘No’, and where a large part of the class time was spent telling us what we were doing wrong. While correction and adjusting are extremely important, I prefer to guide my students towards a more positive and ‘correct’ way of moving or aligning, instead of away from movement that is “wrong’ or ‘bad’. Self criticsm, self consciousness and self judgement in excess can inhibit us from knowing our fullest potential. When we feel good about ourselves, when we are having fun, our brain is more receptive to learning, our memory centers are more stimulated to store and reproduce that good feeling, and we can take corrections well, without it destroying our entire sense of self! Challenging the body is not always easy, but I do like to do it with a smile on at least!!
I have learned so much more than this. My students have been such good teachers for me!