We have an entire video about feedback because we think it is extremely important to get feedback somewhere in order to improve your dancing. That's part of what classes are for: to make a teacher available to, hopefully, tell you what you're doing right and what you can improve.

You also get feedback in classes from your success or failure to perform particular moves with varied partners. Feedback is the purpose of a mirror or a video camera.

Remember: "Doing more things faster is no substitute for doing the right things." --Stephen R. Covey

In the midst of this discussion about how important feedback is, we wanted to talk a little about a certain kind of feedback that you shouldn't take too seriously. That's the kind given in order to make the talker feel better about him or herself rather than in order to genuinely help.

Sometimes it pretends to be genuine help but it can be recognized because it tears you down. It might be obviously or subtly insulting rather than respectful and friendly. We want you to understand that feedback that attacks you is virtually never really about you. It's almost always about some not so healthy emotional need of the person doing the criticizing.

Especially when you are a beginner, there will be lots - and lots - of people wanting to make you better. Our message is evaluate the source. Do not believe that you need to adopt every piece of feedback you get. You can trust what you see and what is said by people you have chosen to advise or teach you.