Cue phrases can be both helpful and fun for teachers and students. I remember one piece I choreographed on my advanced dancers. They were having difficulties with this circular formation and somehow I related it to a “pit of despair”. I said “don’t fall in the pit of despair.” And eventually I was able to […]
Keeping little ones engaged in ballet class can be tricky. We want to teach them all the things and we know they want to learn all the things, but gosh—their attention spans sometimes do not wish to cooperate! It is not uncommon for a tiny student to change the topic entirely in the middle of […]
Ever taught a class or in a studio where the students haven’t been exposed to reverence? When you attempt to do that portion of class they react in a most awkward way. When they realize you expect them to applaud—oh my, the awkward level shoots through the roof. What is that about? I honestly have […]
I am an advocate of instilling musicality in students, no matter the age or skill level. It is an integral part of ballet, therefore it deserves a place in training from the very start. But I don’t deny teaching young students to count music is a challenge. So challenging that I understand the choice not […]
What is going to happen? When I push up to relevé for this pirouette, will I actually stay standing? Will I flail about? Will I make the finish? Will I look ridiculous? The Unknown is full of fright. For some students, this fear is more magnified, and pretending it doesn’t exist isn’t helpful. Their hesitation […]
We all know there are plenty of unneeded questions. Of course, we want to encourage our students to ask any question they have, but really . . . sometimes the questions they ask are just plain dumb. My favorite one is “Are we doing this one or two at a time across the floor?” Really? […]
Ballet dancers are artists and art reflects humanity. Therefore, ballet dancers must be highly in tune with their own humanity in order for their art to resonate. Most people drawn to pursuing the arts experience feelings in a profoundly deep way. The world around them seeps in and causes emotions to kind of firework about […]
We all know how exciting it is to tell a student they are ready for pointe. But we also know the journey ahead in pointe work is fraught with obstacles and fears one absolutely must overcome if they are to achieve any degree of success on pointe. The truth is, pointe is scary. It is […]
Everyone wants to jump higher and no one wants to get hurt. But I know I am not the only one who encounters students flailing themselves into the air with nary a care about how they get there and how they get back down. Just watching them causes pain to shoot through my joints. To […]
To say grand allegro was challenging for me would be an enormous understatement. I felt stuck in the ground. . . and I looked stuck. I did eventually work it out, though. Forcing myself to take men’s class played a role in that. While it was a wee bit on the humiliating side, it was […]
Balancé Temps de Fleche Saut de Chat Chassé Entournant Tombé Pas de Bourrée Just a few steps for which many dancers have a default port de bras. There are many steps that would make it on this list. Maybe at one school all the dancers extend the arms to the First Arabesque line for a […]
The thrill of petit allegro is intense. The adrenaline pushing through the body as it slices and dices the air cannot be matched. When done well, petit allegro leaves the audience wondering what they even just witnessed while simultaneously aching to see more of that very thing. But- Petit allegro is a tricky little thing. […]
Eyes up. Eyes down. Eyes gazing all around. The smallest details can make the largest impact, and that could not be more true than when it comes to the eyes. Piqué arabesque with the eyes remaining level and you have an “okay” movement. But allow the eyes to be a part of every single part […]
The advanced dancer looks for ways to set themselves apart from the rest. How can they make their pirouette look different from the dancer standing next to them? What quality can they inject into their petit allegro that will glue all eyes on them? What dynamic do they wish to incorporate into their port de […]
The intermediate dancer has a ton to think about. Not only in ballet, but in life. These kids are carrying so much stress around with them. Between school, friend drama, and nightmarish hormones, it is no wonder they come into ballet looking like anxiety-ridden zombies. Our challenge is to help them see that technique is […]
