Valeria is my dance student and is also a Psychology student, now researching about dance and Cognitive Development in children.
As professionals we face ethical dilemmas in our professional practice, often without our noticing. As I step into the professional discussion of ethics cases that come to mind as of recent years that I wish to reflect upon.
Of Mocking Professors
A few years ago I witnessed two professors laughing and making fun of some students they had trained. Witnessing such abnormal, unethical behaviour changed my life as a dance teacher. Dance is hard. Their criticism was actually accurate. Their mockery and cruelness, unnecessary. Their comments delivered in such a way were very damaging to the students, They were onstage in costume and the laughter broke their adolescent self-esteem, even as adults they would struggle with this experience. Rebuilding a broken dancer is always delicate and daunting.
Their is an ethical theme of undeniable responsibility regarding our students´shortcomings. A dance teacher must not only claim the shooting stars as her own. The flaws and imperfections, are ours as well.
That day my change was profound. I decided that my students are not blind and deaf. They may very well be more intelligent and have greater potential than myself. My students need to hear the truth, no matter how hard the truth can be. Should they have the opportunity to overcome present physical, emotional and psychological limitations, the student dancer must understand what these are and how they could focus their work and energy. If there are things that can be overcome, the obligatory analysis follows: how can I dance despite of them.
The importance of speaking to and with the student is crucial. As an experienced adult one must connect with the student and explain what one observed and analysed. Yet, what the student thinks, feels and has analysed as well is even more important. Such open conversation might correct and redirect the class effort from both teacher and student. There are gaps in students´ understanding of dance and support needed as they grow up and mature that without free and open conversation, the teacher and the student would be unable to detect. A teacher must always find time to speak with her student dancers, always.
On Ethics and Impact
There is that one extraordinary moment when an adult student dancer of mine decides to change her her thesis and direct it down the path of dance inquiry and early childhood development as impacted by dance classes. Her approach is through the school of psychology, and I am fascinated by the idea of reading her work and learning from her contributions and ideas.
I am humbled and fascinated too that my student has been influenced by my work, as her dance classroom work and exploration has influenced mine. Furthermore, now our academic writing can also be enriched by discussion and sharing of thoughts, ideas, readings and writings. I am excited and surprised even, dreaming of the community we are building.
The ethics of impact is overwhelming, everything we say and do in the classroom has an influence on our student dancers beyond our understanding. We are agents of change and with our work bear deep ethical weight as we are faced with the power of transforming the dance world that surrounds us with our voice.
I feel happiness and my heart is swelling. I feel proud of my student and motivated. As a teacher one at times wonders of one´s own impact beyond demi-plies and work that vanishes as the dance ends. This is a rare moment of clear pride and fulfilment as a dance teacher.
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