Articles

How to Set Up Your Virtual Ballet Classroom

March 25, 2020

Teaching online is a hurdle we are all facing right now as dance teachers. It’s something that comes naturally to some, but most of us are in a whole new world. I’d like to offer support to all of you;… Read More

How to Set Up Your Virtual Ballet Classroom

Scheduling Online Dance Classes with Zoom

March 25, 2020

It’s a challenge we’re all facing in these recent weeks: how do we organize the madness that is our dance class schedule? In no way am I going to pretend that I can simply provide a solution that will work… Read More

Scheduling Online Dance Classes with Zoom

Zoom Basics for Teaching Ballet Online

March 25, 2020

We are living in unprecedented times as dance teachers, parents, and human beings on this earth. Not only is there a mostly-unknown virus spreading in our countries and the resulting fear and isolation, but we, as professionals are having to… Read More

Zoom Basics for Teaching Ballet Online

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… 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… 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… Read More

Creating Fearless Turners

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… 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 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… 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… 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… 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

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… Read More

Three Fundamentals of Safe Pointe Work

Four Tips For Building Reversing Skills

December 11, 2017

I willingly admit to being a reverse junkie. If there was time enough, I would have my students reverse everything. I find the puzzle of reversing enthralling and always come away from it feeling a little more the wiser for… Read More

Four Tips For Building Reversing Skills

Starting Promenades

December 5, 2017

You know those ballet nightmare experiences? The ones where, in the moment, your entire ballet soul is being crushed by the weight of your hideous dancing? The ones where even years later you look back and still groan in pain… Read More

Starting Promenades

Mixing Up Port de Bras

November 27, 2017

NOTE: This is geared specifically for teachers of more advanced students. Lower leveled students do require consistency with port de bras so they can remain focused primarily on technique. Once technique is established with any given step, then the world… Read More

Mixing Up Port de Bras