Dance Teacher Rating System

Everyone knows what ratemyprofessors.com is. It’s a public website where college students rate professors from all over the country on the criteria of Easiness, Helpfulness, Clarity, and Rater Interest. Each area is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, with one being poor and 5 being good.

So it got me thinking: I didn’t really relate to this website because I didn’t care which professor I got. What I did care about was the quality of a dance class which rested solely on the teacher/choreographer. There were many times I showed up to a dance class not really knowing what I was getting myself into. Whether I was learning from a highly respected and requested choreographer or a new industry dancer for the first time, it would have been nice to have gotten a heads up on how they taught.

A dance class is an experience to me, and I’m sure that’s how a lot of other dancers feel too. It’s not so much about learning an incredible piece, but also how the teacher is using their time to teach you that incredible piece. To be honest, I have learned more mediocre pieces than incredible ones, but I find it surprising that those were the classes where I had the most fun. There are a rare few who can provide a smooth class AND an unforgettable routine. That’s why I want to start this ratemychoreographer type of article in this blog: to help first-timers discern whether a choreographer’s class is worth teaching.

The point of this ratings system is not to rate choreographers dancing and their routines, but rather their teaching. Those are two separate spectrums. Just because a choreographer is an incredible dancer does not make him/her a great teacher. If you’re looking for an incredible routine to learn, learn it off youtube. Save yourself $10. If you’re looking for an experience, browse through the rated choreographers and see which one intrigues you the most.

Rating System (on a scale of 1 – 5)

Effeciency: Was the choreographer using their time well? Did they seem prepared or did they waste time making the choreography on the spot? How was the speed at which they were teaching?
Atmosphere: Did the choreographer ease the tension in the room? Did they have character or were they bland? Was the teacher funny or harsh?
Helpfulness: When questions were asked, did the choreographer clarify and answer well? Did the teacher seem to genuinely care or did they seem like they just wanted to teach and leave?

So far I only have three rating areas. If anything else comes to mind, then leave a comment please. Just remember, all areas have to pertain to a choreographer’s teaching ability, not dancing ability. My first dance teacher rating will be up in a little bit. If you’d like to rate a teacher or make a request, submit a story. You are free to leave your own ratings on a previously rated teacher in the comments. I hope this helps fellow dancers in the future in some way. I’m not doing this to be mean, I’m doing this to be helpful!

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