Sorry to bump an old thread, but saw a discussion on Yehoodi with what seems a very relevant post from a teacher
Originally Posted by Mouth from Yehoodi
People are more wiling to accept something if the majority and authority back it. often it is not the feeling that is changed, but the ability to express it. The usual way of finding the real reaction is to see how many come back.
I do not think I would be entirely happy going to beginner class to help train teachers.
Perhaps, but I’ve experienced the opposite living (briefly) in Japan. Many of the things I ended up doing there would have seemed very strange at home, but because all of the locals were very comfortable with them I felt comfortable as well.
When I was hiking through Nepal I found that native male friends would often walk with their pinky fingers hooked together. Surprisingly enough – this didn’t seem unusual at that time and place.
A lot depends on context, and in my experience that having that context made clear can make a very big difference to perceptions.
and that, IMO, is the essence of MJ. On the dance floor we behave in ways that would be frowned upon outside the room. For me we are engaged in three minute dramas, acting out this and that.
I, in sequential three minute bursts I can do my best to be an artist, comedian, counsellor, teacher, athlete, friend, performer ...
Reality and imagination mix, it never tastes the same way twice, but is always appetising.
Ceroc Buckingam have a theme night once a month. The next one is "Double Trouble". Obviously for the class to work there has to be a large excess of women, whereas the theme will attract men. I am sugesting that the night makes a special effort to attract female leaders, perhaps offering a brief reprise of the class for female leaders and perhaps male followers.
Comments on that?
Interesting. It is also quite possible that once the behaviour is socially sanctioned by the teacher and appears to be acceptable behaviour by the rest of the class, even those who may have thought they would feel uncomfortable dancing with the same gender may find it less upsetting than they thought they would. Experience can alter our perception of an activity.
We are all eperienced follows being "discouraged to lead"Most people, in activities where they lack experience and expertise, are followers. Many of us, at some stage of our lives, goto the beach with apprehensions about exposing more of our bodies than we are used to. After a day or two we figure out where our comfort zone is, and it is a lot further out than day one. If there are ladies topless others are more likely to wear a bikini.
"Are we human, or are we dancer?" Pushing the boundaries
Some of the most valuable people in a dance class are those that push the boundaries. They make others inside those boundaries more comfortable outside of their normal real-world zone. In the dance hall, even as amatuers, we can enjoy some of the freedom of spirit that comes fro being "Dancer".
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