I have been teaching for years and have NEVER encountered a student so completely, unequivocally unable to spot! This particular student wears very thick glasses, so I know her eyesight is really bad, but additionally, her eyes roll around when she is talking and hanging out. She blinks very hard every couple of minutes, squeezing her eyes shut...

I am at a loss - she has been in class for years without this ability. Her eyes do not focus long enough to be controlled for spotting. We have tried the basics, just getting the whipping of the head, etc, and nothing works!

Any ideas? Thank you in advance!

this may sound really wierd but at the end of an angelina ballerina episode it showed tips on teaching girls how to spot. the teacher made this clown face out of paper plates and when the girls chaine turned across the room she would look at the clown.
Maybe in your student's particular case, she needs something big and colorful to keep her eyes in focus.

Hope this helps! =]

The way you are describing the situation, it seems like she may never be able to spot. If there is a true problem with her vision and her eyes roll around when she is just talking, she may have a disability in this area and physically be unable to accomplish it.

I am sure you have tried all kinds of spotting exercises, so I'm not thinking it's for lack of trying. I'd say keep working with her, but it may be something she is physically unable to accomplish. There are students with certain limitations that cannot be overcome.

Also, if you determine that it cannot be reasonably improved, you might want to let it go and focus on her strengths. Otherwise, her dance experience might be hindered with the spotting hangup. You might get to an "it is what it is" place and just help her to work on her strengths.

I had a student with similar issues. She was blind in one eye and could not, for some reason, ever get the head spot. She may never get it but it does not hurt to try some focusing exercises, without turning first, to see HOW she can focus.

Contacts?

Tracie Stanfield teaches a great spotting exercise in which you break the spotting down into two parts...1.leaving the head and 2. whipping the head around. When you leave the head you out loud say the word "coca" and when you whip the head you audibly say "cola". The trick is to do it in front of a mirror and the child must see themselves say the words. My young ones love the challenge. And my older ones like to apply it to multiples so that a double becomes coca *turn* cola coca*turn* cola. This may help her have a focus point so that she has to say something each time her face is to the mirror...maybe then she focus on saying the words to the mirror instead of thinking about her focus (or lack of focus) with her eyes.
This exercise is great too to sync turns in a group...they have to be saying the words together. If the spot is together then the turn is together.

Thanks, everyone, for your responses.

I'm thinking on the spot here (no pun intended) if she IS unable to spot. .. well, have you seen-I think it's called-We Also Dance-? It's about blind dancers of all kinds. I remember thinking 'why are they spotting'? Not to be cruel, but it seemed like it wouldn't be necessary. I guess what I'm saying is can't you teach her the head movement=the 'snap' like it's a isolation? I realize it would benefit her to learn to spot, but if she absolutely isn't able to, then it's a question of whether it matters of she is identical to the others in her group. Llike, if she competes or does other things where the audience would think 'why isn't she spotting' not realizing she just can't.
I just tried what I'm suggesting, and it isn't so easy. I also tried spotting with my eyes closed-just snapping my head-I recommend trying it. Makes me admire the blind dancers all the more. I ran into a sofa and a chair in the process!

That's been the MO so far - she knows she's supposed to whip her head, so she does, but her eyes roll around and there is nothing focusing. It has never been commented upon anywhere (competition, parents, students) but it bothered me. I think, though, she is probably truly unable to focus that quickly, and that I should, "let it go". I just want the best for her. Without dizziness.