Cue Phrases

April 8, 2019

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”. Read More

Cue Phrases

Use Their Stories As Class Material

March 11, 2019

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… Read More

Use Their Stories As Class Material

Reverence—Just Do It

February 25, 2019

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… Read More

Reverence—Just Do It

Teach Young Students to Count Music

February 18, 2019

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… Read More

Teach Young Students to Count Music

Creating Fearless Turners

February 11, 2019

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,… Read More

Creating Fearless Turners

Teaching Them to Ask Smart Questions

January 14, 2019

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… Read More

Teaching Them to Ask Smart Questions

Emotional Needs Within The Ballet Classroom

November 12, 2018

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… Read More

Emotional Needs Within The Ballet Classroom

Addressing Fear in Pointe Work

November 12, 2018

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… Read More

Addressing Fear in Pointe Work

Safer and Higher Jumping

October 29, 2018

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… Read More

Safer and Higher Jumping

Create the Illusion of Flight

October 22, 2018

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… Read More

Create the Illusion of Flight

How I Mix Up Port de Bras for My Students

October 15, 2018

BalancéTemps de FlecheSaut de ChatChassé EntournantTombé Pas de BourréeJust 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… Read More

How I Mix Up Port de Bras for My Students

Six Ways to Slay Petit Allegro

October 8, 2018

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… Read More

Six Ways to Slay Petit Allegro

Train the Eyes

October 1, 2018

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… Read More

Train the Eyes

Hands and Fingers Make All the Difference

August 25, 2018

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… Read More

Hands and Fingers Make All the Difference

Questioning Hands and Fingers

August 20, 2018

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… Read More

Questioning Hands and Fingers

Using Barre to Train Hands and Fingers

August 12, 2018

Training dancers from the start to be aware of their hands and fingers can make an enormous difference as they advance through the levels. But this small detail is easily overlooked because there is one other item we must teach… Read More

Using Barre to Train Hands and Fingers

Hands and Fingers for Little Dancers

July 15, 2018

Hands and fingers do ballet, too!Teaching little ones to recognize that all parts of their body should be included in ballet is important because it helps build their awareness of space, movement, and details. All things we want our more… Read More

Hands and Fingers for Little Dancers

Spacing Little Dancers on Stage

April 23, 2018

Spacing can be a true disaster on stage. For anyone. I remember very specifically one moment in my professional career where I ran into another dancer. Literally, just smacked right into her. Yes, my director let me know how unhappy… Read More

Spacing Little Dancers on Stage

Ten Parts of Performing for Little Dancers

April 16, 2018

There is so much more to a successful performance than what happens on stage. There is the before and the after. But often times these parts get overlooked or completely forgotten in younger classes. With the pressure to get everyone… Read More

Ten Parts of Performing for Little Dancers

Getting the Stage Shy Dancers On Stage

April 3, 2018

I much prefer the term “stage shy” as opposed to “stage fright”. It feels less scary, which in turn can help the actual fear be less scary. I would use “stage anxious” but anxious is not a word little kids… Read More

Getting the Stage Shy Dancers On Stage

Three Performance Goals for Little Dancers

March 26, 2018

Putting the youngest dancers on stage can be frightening. We never really know what is going to happen once they get out there. We can prepare them to the best of our ability and even send an assistant out there… Read More

Three Performance Goals for Little Dancers

Performance Choreography for Tiny Dancers

March 20, 2018

From the well seasoned ballet teacher to the novice, and everyone in between, putting together a performance piece for the youngest dancers can be tricky.Set The Expectations . . . For YourselfChoreographing for 3-6 year olds can feel a bit… Read More

Performance Choreography for Tiny Dancers

Introduction to Pointe

February 19, 2018

Once a dancer has completed pre-pointe training, there is a transitional class needed before full pointe training can begin. This is an introduction (or orientation) to pointe work. I find a good many teachers skip this. Either they are… Read More

Introduction to Pointe

The Pre-Pointe Year

February 12, 2018

Pre-pointe is one of my favorite classes to teach. In part because I enjoy the age of most of the students (11-13 year olds), but also because the excitement of what is about to come is bubbling everywhere. The… Read More

The Pre-Pointe Year

Three Fundamentals of Safe Pointe Work

January 29, 2018

Above all, we prioritize safety. While we want our dancers whipping out strings of fouetté turns and series of hops en pointe, what we want more than that is for our dancers to have longevity and undamaged bodies.Pointe training is… Read More

Three Fundamentals of Safe Pointe Work