Has this happened to any student - or has any instructor out there done this? Everytime I schedule to dance in competition I know my level and my training for the last few months and that is the entries I wish to buy. But - and this has happened with two different instructors at two different studios - I'm asked to learn new steps, new open routines, compete in dances I'm not comfortable with, and in general dance entries I don't really feel I belong, all about a month before the comp. I have agreed many times - being convienced by my instructor that I could do it. I usually come away embarrassed for the poor performance and feel bad about myself.
I understand how some studios work - the instructors make alot of money at competitions - and that we as students need a little push now and then - but I feel that I could leave a comp happier if I knew I lost doing my best at that time - and go back to the studio with a new goal to better myself. Now I go to comp. so nervous I can't relax - so worried that I don't know what I'm doing on the floor. (I now have a second studio & instructor because the first yelled and cursed at me during a cha cha routine because I missed a step). I want to have fun dancing. I'm not going to broadway! I'll never go pro! Why is it so serious to the instructors when we are just amateurs. If they want us to dance what we don't know well - then don't expect well dancing.
Does anyone have any thoughts as to this problem?

Thanks guys for your responses. It seems there are instructors who are out there for the money/business and some who love to dance and want to teach others the love of dance. Until I find the instructor who really cares more about the student dancing - I'll just be more assertive with my choices.

Yolanda,

My wife and I started our dancing lessons with a local studio like yours last year. 6 months into the program, we were encouraged to compete. The studio tried to register 20 entries in a 2-day event for us. The cost included hotel was $2000. We declined because of the cost. Shortly after that, we left the studio to avoid constant pressure of taking more lessons, bringing in friends, etc.

Today we are taking private lessons from a private instructor. During a lesson, we no longer have to share the dance floor or even the CD player with other instructors/students. A video recorder in the corner record the whole 1-hour session, so we don't have to take any note. Our instructor is very serious and demanding: if we do not master a step, he won't teach the next. The end result is we started getting complements from our social-dancing friends now.

In short, we students pay a reasonable price to LEARN and to have FUN. If a studio or instructor can not deliver, by all means switch. Happy dancing!

(BTW, I am speaking only for my experience and not implying other studios have similar problems.)

Sincerely,
Dave

Yolanda,

This is worse than you think. It is easy for a pro-am dance teacher to get a student for the lower levels. It is more difficult to come up with a silver, gold or open student so they will always take the best of what they have and push them to do a higher level. It is not about you getting your moneys worth , it is about them maximizing their income at the competition. This is why some competitions have bronze I, II, III, IV, V etc., to allow teachers to have a herd of students in the competition. The fact that they dance uncontested is only a plus for them as they can brag about and get the student to brag about all the first place awards they acquired. What a crock. The competition organizers are fools. They have to have a large number of judges available to adjudicate a monstrous lot of uncontested events. They figure on making money on the number of contestants overall rather than maximizing the number of cotestants in each heat. The result is that no one will pay to attend this farce. Run, don't walk to the nearest exit to any studio which promotes such nonsense.
I have found that I must take charge when it comes to lessons near a competition. Even the best teacher will get nutty and start changing things. Every time it has happened to me, the result was a disaster.
I wish you the best in finding a good studio. It is not easy. There are so many marginal teachers and studios, with more on the way. I can only offer a couple of hints: if the place has more than one beginner teacher and they are used to teach beginners, look elsewhere. If They seem to have too many competitors who are at a high level who don't look too good or the men avoid dancing with them at socials, run. If they are constantly telling you how good you are with no negagive remarks or corrections, or telling you that you are a natural, exit fast. If your teacher says that he/she will make you a champion in 2 weeks, 6 months or whatever time period, forget it, no one knows exactly how long it will take, if ever.

I certainly think you did the right thing in changing instructors.