My Pro/Am partner and I just did a very successful Int. Rumba Showcase. Everyone was impressed with our dance chemisty and how we danced together.
It took about 30 hours to prepare and she really helped with the technique, choreography, patience--plus she helped make us look good.

How can I tell her that I'm lucky to have her as a partner, enjoy dancing with her, and hope to have many more successful performances and comps.
I don't want it to appear that I have lurking romantic interests. What have some of you done for teacher-partner appreciation. What are some appropriate ideas--cards, small gift
--probably not flowers.

Anonymous. The best gift I ever received was a brush for roughing up the sole of the shoes. I used it from the first day i recieved it and ever since. Even if they aleady have one another wont go astray.

I always find it interesting how some pro/am students would like to think their teachers as partners.

She is my dance partner first and teaching is secondary. I hire other pros for technique and fixing problems.
She is tall like me and we move together better than anyone I have ever danced with--not to mention the dance chemistry that we have developed. She is available, reliable, great to work with, worth every dollar that I pay her--a lucky find for me.

I take dance lessons and technique lessons from about 10 other dance pros. Yes, she is a great teacher, dances pro with another partner, keeps up her dancing with lessons from high level visiting pros--which I use too. Others may not understand what I am trying to communicate until you find that perfect partner whether it is a pro, amateur or whatever. I have been through 5 years of partner frustration until I started dancing with her. Now I am really motivated and focused on becoming more competitive and a much better dancer.

"She is my dance partner first ."

If that is the case, why do you pay her? I don't pay to my partner.

Just put yourself in your teacher's place. Obviously, she would not be in the studio unless she is being paid, so what would she rather be doing? With whom? Where is she when she is not teaching or working with her partner?

To give a dance related gift is like giving a carpenter a christmas gift of a new hammer. Think about her real interests. Oh, and food is not an option here - nor is anything personal - your auto mechanic gets a gift card, not a pair of socks!

Your personal feelings for your teacher are part of the fantasy created for YOU. It is not hers, and when you distance yourself from that, you'll soon see what she would want to get.