What would or has made you boycott an instructor?

Tempest-yepper.
"what would make me boycott a teacher would be..."
Or "I am actively boycotting a teacher b/c" then just stick to facts. Dont go on and on about a tale that only you and 3 girls in your town, on your side, will get, unless you plan to name names and state facts.

Sorry, I'm not sure I get the analogy here...

I second that, Rya. A 4-hour workshop does not equal weeks, months or years of training -- I really have a problem with someone listing what amounted to a workshop on their resume. I don't think you should list it unless it was a private class at the least, and even then if it's only for a few hours, it's sketchy. Other behavior that would make me boycott a instructor:

1) If they had been taking classes themselves for only a year or so before they started teaching others.

2) If they have not been performing professionally for at least a few years *before* they started teaching.

3) If they get defensive or hostile when you say you're also taking classes from another teacher -- a good teacher should feel secure enough in themselves to encourage you to expand your knowledge however you'd like to.

4) If they don't admit that they are not an expert on every style/type of belly dance. If they take the "I could teach you that too" route simply to try to make more money. Like a cabaret/raks sharqi teacher suddenly offering an ATS class because some students are interested in tribal & she took a seminar with Fat Chance once.

5) If they discourage a style that a student is interested in simply because it's not the style that they prefer or teach.

6) If they don't showcase their own students in *student* recitals or student numbers/performances. If they are always front & center in every *student* performance/number -- not giving the students some time to shine (& therefore allowing their students to become very dependent on playing follow-the-leader in choreographies with them in front all the time).

7) If they bring their personal baggage with other dancers/instructors/studios/festivals to the classroom; not letting the students develop their own relationships in the community untainted.

8) If they don't encourage their students to go to other dancer's events in the area, and generally don't support the local dance community as a whole (ie, don't offer fliers about local events, don't vocally advertise when seminars are presented, don't encourage their students to enter shows as a solo or group outside of the studio/school if the studio/school chooses not to attend, don't offer students alternatives of other teachers in the area who may be better trained in a certain specialty, etc).

9) If they don't offer constructive criticizm to help a student grow/learn. If they only say, "you're not doing it right, it should be like THIS" - without helping the student break it down so they can get there.

10) If they charge their students to be in a student troupe & if said funds only go toward *paying* the teacher to show up for rehearsal & don't go toward things like troupe costumes, rehearsal space rental & gas/trip expenses.

This post was deleted by K-Lee, just K-Lee

She always interupts the teacher to tell her that "so and so" taught it a different way. She comes to class wearing the smallest articles of clothing she can find and instead of dancing, she keeps checking herself out in the mirror. She walks in wearing the "I Dream of Genie" special that she bought at a local porn store. (You know, the see through pants and top with the matching thong? lol) She comes in late chewing gum loudly and talking on her cell phone loudly. She talks while the teacher is trying to teach.
I can keep going all day! lol

Someone who allows her children to be rude to the children of other dancers.

So, instructors do all the things that have been mentioned? I like my teacher alot. I wrote speaking in generality because I still can't put in a zipper. :) It's amazing that people do all those things and other people give them $$$$$$ to do it.

What's wrong with an instructor showing new students her skills (they are probably wondering anyway), plus when the teacher demonstrates, it usually gets the students excited about what they're going to learn! I do domonstrations in all my new classes at the end to show the choreography at hand, with no intention of showing anybody up or "dropping it like it's hot". If anyone thinks I'm showing off, then they can go take from someone else and take their baggage with them. I personally like to see my teachers "Show Off" because I admire them!

I've heard of that too- a dancer who claims to accept larger dancers to get them in the door but only skinny people onstage.


Boycott-wise, I agree with all of the above, including:

Teachers that encourage crash dieting or cultlike behavior with their students.

I think all that was probably already covered though.