Recently, I have had a few people talk to me about not knowing what to do when getting conflicting information from instructors. It’s always hard to sort through any information given to us; unfortunately, that’s exactly what we need to do.
Most of us do take lessons with more than one instructor; whether it is group classes or privates, we are constantly getting information from different people. This is a good thing! Every instructor has strengths and weaknesses. One instructor cannot be everything to everyone. Different ways of communicating and different personalities work well together. The hard part about working with more than one instructor is getting conflicting information. So how do you decide what is “right” and what is “wrong”??
First, you must find out the theory behind what the instructor is telling you to do. When I first started partner dancing, I was trying to understand why I was supposed to do something, and when I asked the person training me, they said “that’s just the way you do it.” That is NOT an explanation! IF you are not sure – always ask why! If your instructor cannot explain why or cannot give you an explanation that makes sense, then you can be confident in disregarding that information.
Next, if you are trying to work through two different ways of doing something, always go with the way that feels more natural, more connected, and more in tune with your partner. Most of the time a new concept will be hard to execute, but it should make the movement easier and more comfortable.
The last thing to consider is how it looks. Which way (especially when it comes to styling) is more aesthetically pleasing to you and fits in with what your style is? Don’t forget that it is ultimately YOU who has to make the decision as to what you want to do. Don’t get lost in what is “right” and what is “wrong”; choose what makes sense to you and your body. We as instructors can only give you help and guidance; we cannot give you all the answers. You must find your own way on this crazy, fabulous journey!
