Well I taught dance for 4 years at a different studio than what I am at now and the dancers there were AWESOME! They were so dedicated to dance and it showed in class. I left that studio because the last year I was there it was under new ownership and there were some conflicts that arose dealing with pay and so forth...anyways! I have recently started working at a different studio and the dancers here are FAR different than what I am used to. They seem to have very little motivation and just give off the "I could care less" attitude. When we do our splits I tell them to hold it until I tell them to come down and they never do that. All I get it complaining about how they can't do that and their legs hurt, etc!! I have told them over and over again that they have to at least try because without stretching they will never get further in their splits. How do I motivate them in a positive way without completely lashing out on them. Sometimes I just want to ask them why they are taking dance in the first place! This lack of motivation is apparent in other parts of the class other than just splits. Please help because I would LOVE to help these dancers get better, they need to be pushed!

Some kids eat, breathe, live dance....others are what I call recreational dancers. It sounds to me like you have the recreational type. Kids like this are only interested in the dance part and not the technique part, which for a teacher can be very frustrating. Perhaps give them something to work for. Come up with a small prize, but something that they will really want; have them earn a ballot each class. ie- the one who holds their splits the longest gets a ballot. At the end of the year, draw a name for the prize. The more ballots, the more chances to win. This has worked for me in the past.

This sounds like one of my classes that I have been struggling with all year. My kids are a very talented young group that are super lazy and lack any motivation. I have tried talking to them about dicipline issues, tried having rewards, tried having consequences and so far nothing has worked.

Yesterday I finally lost it and had to tell them that none of the teachers at the studio like to work with them, not because they are not sparkling young people, not because they have no potential, but because they are horrible in class. Hearing the harsh truth, their jaws absolutely dropped to the floor. I then expalined that teachers dont give out corrections to kids who are not dancing full out, joking around, or being lazy because it is pointless (not entirely true, but trying to get a shock factor with them). I told them that they should be excited if they get corrected because it means that the teacher is paying attention to them and cares that they improve.

After all of this talk, we went back to class and the first kid that got corrected looked at me like I had just given her Christmas. They listened and worked hard for the rest of class. I hope it lasts next week too..

I am usually a firm believer of positive reinforcement, but I leared that sometimes kids just need a nice wake up call..

turtletoeshoe wrote:

I am usually a firm believer of positive reinforcement, but I leared that sometimes kids just need a nice wake up call..

^Definitely when they are teenagers. They need to hit with their complete bodies to a wall before they wake up.

Give them a speech like the other posters described. When you start teaching again, it might be not the wonderful success like above.
Some will act a bit differently (maybe very little, afraid for what the rest of the group will say), encourage them a lot. Ignore those who don't cooperate, but when you see them do a little bit of what you want, praise them to heaven!

Depending on their age, you could also sit down with them and ask them why they dance. No matter what they will say (just for fun, become great dancers) agree with them that that is what you want for them too. Then tell them HOW you are trying to give them that (making them work hard gives them a good feeling and makes them happy and proud about themselves; developping their technical skills and presentation so they stand out from the crowd).
When they say they are their to 'hang out', you don't agree of course.

About the whining with stretching, I tell this story: "MUSCLES are lazy, they want to lay down on the couch, watch TV and eat potato chips (students all start smiling and giggling). When you stretch they scream they want to return to the couch. That's the pain you feel. But YOU know that isn't the best for your body, you want to be flexible and strong and do great dance things.
Now, WHO is the boss over your body, YOU or your lazy MUSCLES? Are your lazy MUSCLES in control over what you do, or YOU?"
And when they all scream "I AM!", you say: "Well, next time your lazy MUSCLES complain about your ambitions, tell them to shut up."

when my dancers complain during stretches or flop out of them...or cheat at situps...

I say that we are a team...just like soccer or football...and if one member gives up or cheats we finish the stretch and then do it again...until EVERYONE does it right...

Especially now when the class is new...it is the best time to make rules...

After repeating a stretch 3 times...the kids start to think as a team...my one class this week said "lets all do it the first time" and it was only the 3rd class of the season...

I agree!!! I've had the worst day with my middle school group. Some have alot of potential but their work ethic bites!!! They fall out of stretches and complain. Then when we do "basic" dance they look at me like they want to be challenged!!!! Today half way through class I said"I'm not here to drag you through this class, maybe you should call your moms and go home" half of them did!!!!!If I was that lazy in class, my teacher would have laughed out loud!!These are the same kids who want to try out for SYTYCD!!!! I try not to lecture but i feel one is due(a debbie allen in fame kind of lecture:)Help!!!!!

I have the same problem, I feel like I am repeating myself over and over again the same corrections. Maybe it was just me but when I got corrected I would try my best to fix it the very next time. Last week was rough for my middle school kids, their arms were a mess in their leaps as far as positions, they are capable of doing the correct arms and I've went over them in that one class probably a million times. Then I started if one person messes up their arms or doesn't try to fix them the whole class will do 5 push ups. After about 30 pushups they got the point hopefully it carries over to this week.

I basically ditto what everyone else has said. I was having the same problem with my middle school girls I explained it to them like this:

You can CHOOSE to do push-up or not by choosing to stay in your splits or not. We also work as a team so when someone comes down before they are supposed to I always phrase it like this, " So-and-so has CHOSEN to add ten push-ups at then end.

We also add squats or lunges for EVERYTIME someone says "can't"

It worked wonders and they loved it now and work really hard the first time!

I coach a high school team and have the same problem. Recently I've been drawing a name out of a hat at the beginning of practice. They dont know who's name I have, but I'm watching that one person extra close. If they do what is expected, then the whole team gets a reward at the end of practice. It may be leaving 5 minutes early, choosing the music for our cooldown, always something different - it may be really exciting and may be somethings small and silly. This week it was Halloween candy that had to leave my house. It has helped so much. They know if they dont step up, they let the whole team down. AT the end of practice I announce who it is and let them share the prize. While it doesnt happen often, if I chose someone that doesnt stay on task, I will tell them privately that their name was chosen what they did wrong and need to improve on next time.