I started the program three years ago, when interest in ballroom was high and I asked around to a few of my students, and they were all very enthusiastic about the idea of my starting a ballroom club. I was married but childless, and had time for it--even though that year I was teaching seven periods a day with no break. I was a bit of a basketcase.
Anyway, the first year, I started the Club. Within three days I had over sixty kids signed up, half boys and half girls. It took a little longer to get the boys, but the always come. The world is full of boys who want to dance--or are at least willing to try it--if they get talked into it enough. It was a real success that year. I ran the club for the whole first semester of school, and also held auditions for a ballroom team.I taught them a dance, and then they performed it at the school talent show, which I am also in charge of. Looking back, I'm stunned that I got such amazing dancers that year--particularly boys. It was an awesome year. The kids did a viennese waltz to the theme from the Pirates of the Caribbean. I made the skirts for their costumes myself--as inept a seamstress as I was. I put my soul into it. I wasn't paid that year--it was strictly voluntary. And what fun we had!
I was eager to try it again the following year. I shortened the club portion down to about 10 weeks. Again I had about sixty kids sign up, and I taught them cha-cha, swing, waltz, mambo and many others. I had help from my good friend Torin and my sister Aundi. My principal, seeing the success of my program, and with help from an article in South Valley Journal to keep it higher profile, offered to pay me that year. $300! Yay! My team was awesome. We did a latin medley--starting with Samba, then Mambo, Rhumba, and last Cha-cha to Let's Get Loud. It was definately the hardest dance I choreographed out of all three years. I was pregnant during the whole of that semester, but I still did it! It was great to see kids from the year before come back to help. It was awesome to see kids change and grow--particularly ones that had been 8th graders the first year and had made team again. I saw them gain confidence and a love of dancing. It felt good to help them find something special within themselves.
This year, however, has been frought with difficulties. There is a new administration, and the school district itself is a new place. There's no money for anything. I still don't know if they'll pay me or not. Buying anything for team such a shoes and costumes--paid for by the students, but with new purchasing rules that make everything difficult--put me in tears more than once. Chronic absences on team plagued us. I never had a practice with all 20 members until our last two practices. Someone always had something more important to do. There were injuries too. The dance is a swing, to the song "Nice Guys Finish Last" by Cobra Starship. Thank you Torin for leading me to it! Its not the hardest dance I've ever choreographed, but I think it's my favorite! Cindy and I spent hours making the petti-skirt costumes for it. HOURS upon HOURS. I'm not sure why we did it. But the results are remarkable. The most gorgeous costumes I've ever seen. And neither of us were paid a dime to do it.
(Sorry this isn't the best picture-all the good ones are on my computer at school! But here's a shot of one of the couples, so you can see how cute the skirt is! And I blurred out their faces--dont' want them recognizeable without parent permission...)
Anyway, with all the difficulties, it's been a question whether I should continue the program at all. I wrote out some pros and cons:
Cons:
1. I have a baby now--I'm giving away time I could be spending with her
2. I have daycare--staying after school means someone else has to watch her longer
3. It's too hard to purchase shoes and costumes with the stringent purchasing rules
4. My administration seems to think the whole program is a pain
5. I'm not sure they are going to pay me this year, and I'm SURE they won't next year. I'm not really in it for the money but--well, it DOES take a lot of time.
5. I'm tired.
6. Morale is low--teachers are getting paid less and less, and I don't want to do anything extra anymore--not when it isn't appreciated. Yes, I know the kids miss out on opportunities, but if teachers keep giving for free, they'll never see a reason to pay us what we're worth. Or at least HALF of what we're worth.
Pros:
1. I have seen how this program can change the lives of students--I hate to take that opporunity away from them.
Lots of cons. One BIG pro. But like I said, I've made my choice. For next year at least, there will be no ballroom program at my middle school. It was an original program--something no other middle school, to my knowledge, could offer. But I can't do it anymore. I'm done. I will miss it a lot. But oh--when the talent show is over next week, how relieved I will feel!
I hope this post doesn't sound like I'm "tooting my own horn". Yeah, it probably does. Maybe I am a little. I'm proud of what I've accomplished, and I'm very sad it's going to be over. I guess I just feel so tired, so underappreciated. I hear how pretty much every option my district has for balancing the budget is paying teachers less, and I think, "why do I do this? Why should I do more than I absolutely have to?" Yes, I know. For the kids. Well, I got my own kid now. I feel very discouraged--and everyone in the district is. You feel it in the air. Its like I work in a completely different place than I did last year. It's been a rough year, needless to say. The hormones and changes from having a baby haven't helped.
I have added a video of this year's routine! They haven't performed it yet, but this is at Saturday's dress rehearsal.
3 comments:
It is sad that you are stopping this but I totally understand your reasons, maybe in a few years you'll be able to do it again. Austin was in Show Choir at his school for the two year and this year the choir teacher gave it up. It was extracurricular and took a lot of time and effort on her part. I am sure the kids who have been part of this program appreciate everything you have done for them.
Yeah! They finally got the circle part down! More than anyone, I understand why you're doing what you're doing. I don't blame you. Yes, it IS a loss for the kids but creating opportunities for them is their PARENTS responsibility. Sadly, so many parents don't care that much which is why the stuff you have done (even beyond the ballroom team) has been so great.
It's sad to see that teachers are at an all time low- though I hear it's the same in the new district too. All that money spent to split and NO ONE is better off.
If it makes you feel any better, everyone is making less money. My Hubs is still bringing in the same amount in his checks as he did 4 years ago. The pittance raises he's gotten haven't kept up with inflation. Our health insurance has gone up and the coverage is horrible. EVERYONE has less now than they did before.
Meg, I loved watching the video. And I know it sounds corny, but I got teary eyed. I don't think I really fully appreciated all you put into the program until I read your post. Those are some lucky kids. But I totally understand why you're calling it quits, and it sounds like you feel good about your decision. It also sounds like you're a mommy--putting your baby first!
Love ya Meg, good luck at the talent show!
P.S. LOVE the skirts--you and Cindy did an awesome job.
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