Not at all. And I would worry about a teacher who gets upset if you do. They should encourage you to grow in all the ways possible - and their teaching skills should not be so easily impuned by you learning from someone else in addition to them. Do be careful not to say things like "that's not how so-and-so does it" in class. Wait until after class, and say something polite like "I've also learned it could be this way as well - is that right? Is there more than one way, or am I confusing two different things?" Know what I mean?

While I agree that it's fine I have a personal experience to share from the point of view of a teacher. I've always encouraged my students to take as many dance/movement classes as they can fit into their schedule. I once had a student who was also a member of my troupe study with another teacher in the area who's style was quite similar to mine (we have the same teacher but vary a bit in our interpretation.) After a few months the student/troupe member started getting the two styles "confused". She would correct beginner students in my class and have them do the moves in the other teachers style and when I called her on it she would tell me that I was teaching them wrong! We're a tribal improv troupe and when she was leading she would throw in moves that none of us know. It got to the point where she was challanging every aspect of our style and myway of leading the troupe.

It got really ugly and I lost a student and dear friend because of it. So.. moral of the story, take all of the classes you want just keep the style difference clear in your head and always be respectful of your teachers.

Yeah, I feel like it's vital for dancers to study as much as possible with as many teachers as possible. Everyone teaches differently, and you can pick up new tidbits.

I would be honest and open with both teachers if they ask, maybe something like, "I'm trying to train with a few different teachers to learn as much as I can." If a teacher has a problem with you studying with another teacher, I would listen to what they say with a grain of salt. If they badmouth the other teacher, act unprofessionally, etc. then perhaps that's an indicator that this teacher is not wanting what's best for you. If they reference things like potential for injury, that might be something to consider.

Any teacher that tries to discourage you from taking other classes from other teachers has her own issues to contend with. It is not really any teacher's business whom else you are taking from, except in terms of simple curiosity or interest in what other styles you've learned. I say this as both a teacher and a student.

I always ask my students if they are new to bellydance, what other styles of dance and bellydance they've studied, and with which teachers, but only so that I am informed in terms of their skill level and style. And if they ask about other classes, I am more than happy to recommend my favorites and those I think they'll benefit from. Spread the knowledge!

I don't think there is anything wrong with taking classes with different teachers on different nights. However, the grey area comes in when it comes to performing with either teacher's troupe. This may be fine when one is a tribal troupe and another a cabaret, but a conflict of interests arises when both troupes perform the same dance style.

There is a student who is part of our dance studio, where we perform cabaret and have a tribal troupe, and chose to study tribal with another studio and not with our in-house tribal teacher. However, she then began performing cabaret with this other studio after misleading the studio owner and without anyone else knowing. At the beginning of the year we all sign a contract that states that we will not perform with another studio without the permission of the studio we belong to.

There is another thought to consider: "Jack of all trades, master of none." It is admirable to want to explore many different styles of dance and movement, and you should! When you are first starting out dancing, there is no way to know who and what you want to express within yourself if you aren't sampling many mediums with which to do so. And different teachers will have different strengths and weaknesses and will be able to guide your journey in many different ways.

But so, too, have I seen dancers who thought they could "do it all", when really they were mediocre at best in a lot of things, but never really got a handle on any one thing. Instead of doing a few things really well and with a lot of knowledge and integrity, they wanted to sample everything and never got into the depth it takes to do it *right*.

If you love a particular style of dance, especially ethnic dance, and you want to do it justice, giving it the focus and time it deserves can be the key difference between a so-so dancer and a remarkable one.

Does this mean anyone can only ever do ONE style of dance?! NO WAY! Some dancers excel in many areas (and that is where some of the best fusion comes from in our community, too!). But taking a "one step at a time" approach to your education can sometimes be a great way to achieve greater knowledge and skill in whatever it is you choose to do down the road.

If I may add, this is particularly important if you ever get into group improvisation. It can be very confusing to have multiple vocabularies running around in your head, and with group improv you have to be able to bring each movement to the fore in a split second, responding quickly and clearly to the cues. To make that look smooth, confident, and most of all *natural* (not forced or stumbling), focusing on one vocabulary, and hooking up with a class, group, or troupe who you dance with regularly to really get the details down pat, will be the key to making you a strong improv dancer!

Again, this is something to consider in your next steps of the dance. If you have only been dancing a couple years, sample EVERYTHING. Try new styles, new teachers, new philosophies. Read a lot. Watch a lot of video. Then when you start to feel yourself zeroing in on one or two styles/aesthetics that really keep calling you back, spend some focused time there and really dig into it and do it up right.

Just another side to consider!

The only issue I've had is how I hold my arms. Right now I only train with one teacher but do some on my own that is more tribal fusion oriented. My current teacher is more cabaret style. Sometimes she has to remind me to keep my arms softer in her class but she knows that tribal is where my interest is. If there were a tribal teacher closer I would go to both since I my teacher is great and, not that it would stop me but she wouldn't be offended.