The Perfect Fit…Kirah’s views on belly dance classes and more

Sometimes the teacher student relationship can be a mystery. Why does one teacher work for one person and not another? Why do some teachers lift you up while others leave you feeling blah, no matter how good of a teacher they might be? This Long Island party entertainer can explain through… SHOES! Wait, wait now...hear me out…

             Think on all the shoes you own or may have owned at one time. Now think about how you feel about them. The ones you bought and never wore (now residing in the scary dark forgotten depths of the closet). Others that are your favorite glamazon pair saved for those special outings or even just a good pair of sneakers. The teacher-student relationship can be much the same.

         Some teachers, just like shoes, don’t fit at all and you know right away.  You try them on and they never make it home with you; or in this case into your life.  Others you think are a good match. You bring them home, you wear them around…only to find out the hard way, they damage your knees.
         Some fit okay, never quite perfect but no cause to complain. Then, over time they wear apart. Many first teachers fit into this roll. They were a nice beginning, content with what you learned from them and appreciative, but you know it is time to move on to something new and possibly longer lasting but you still always feel fondly of that pair.

          Some are nice sturdy sneakers, good for everyday learning and classes. Some give you that warm feeling of a nice sandal or wedge. Great for a specialized skill or trait that you want to adapt into your dancing.  All in all they are good important teachers to learn from on a regular basis.  And then there is the Cinderella magic slipper teacher….

          This shoe is so rare that sometimes you don’t even realize its missing until you find it. That AHA! moment. Your perfect fit where you completely get where they are coming from, connect deeply and understand when you watch them dance. These are the teachers you need to stalk (figuratively) and take from as often as you can. They are usually never located near to you so soak up and enjoy every time you get a chance (score one for modern technology) but don’t forget to bring your sneakers and sandals along for the ride too.

             In the end all teachers are important, even the bad ones. Each one teaches us something about what we like, want and expect in others, the dance and ourselves. Find the ones that support and nurture you. Accept that no matter how much you may love them, sometimes your need to get a new pair of shoes when the old ones fall apart. Remember what you’ve learned from the ones that didn’t work out. What isn’t your perfect fit may be someone else’s magic match, and remember: No closet is complete with just one pair of shoes!