Basic Step
Started off with teaching a Basic Step class this morning. One of the participants came up to introduce himself, "Hi, my name is X, I'm known as being a trouble maker." That should have tipped me off but I didn't think anything of it at the time.
While I was setting up my step, somehow the subject of fans came up. There are three of them in the room, and I usually turn them on partway during class. X said to me, "If you value your life, you won't turn on this fan [the one next to him]." He doesn't like fans I guess. Then he went on to say, "If you turn it on, I'll break your arm." He was smiling when he was saying all this, but I really didn't care for the actual words that came out of his mouth. I told him that he was welcome to choose another spot which wasn't next to the fan and he refused to move saying that it was HIS spot. Then I politely explained that if the rest of the class requested it, I can't do something just to accommodate him, to which he replied that he would just turn off the fan if I turned it on.
I let it go, but it's pissing me off more and more as I think about it. I think I'll have a little chat with him if I see him next class to politely explain that he really shouldn't be going around threatening people. I think I'm a reasonable person, and I would have responded differently had he asked me NICELY not to turn on the fan. And on top of all this (while I'm venting anyway), he touches people when he speaks to them. Ugh. I'll have something to say about that next time as well.
Aside from that, class went off without a hitch. I think the participants liked the fact that I threw in a more intermediate routine towards the end. A couple of people came to the Basic Step Clinic afterwards because they wanted to know how to do an "L-Step Around the World" and a "Mambo".
Advanced Step
Advanced Step... well, that's a different story altogether. First of all, there weren't that many people who showed up. Not to sound paranoid, but I think it's because they knew I was teaching today and decided not to show up. I tried a combo from Cathe's "Rhythmic Step", where it starts out with: "Up, up, front side kick, tap knee tap kick,..." Unfortunatley, people were tripping over themselves trying to do it.
Aiyah. I CAN'T WIN! if I use material that's too easy, they complain that it's too simple. If it's too hard, then they get frustrated and give me the evil eye. Looks like that I won't be using that combo again any time soon. Some people actually walked out of class. That's how bad it was. It sucked. It made me nervous as well. But I lived through it, and it helps builds character, I guess.
At the end of class, I asked for feedback and one lady said that she likes the choreography, and wants to do more of the combos and spend less time on breakdowns. That was extremely helpful - at least I know what to focus on for next time.
