Articles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 Ways to Ensure Safe Stretching

November 20, 2017

First, a little story . . .I was teaching a group of students who were new to me. I had them on their backs doing a stretch that would help them feel where their external rotators exist. While the stretch… Read More

5 Ways to Ensure Safe Stretching

Demi Pointe and the Adult Beginner

October 23, 2017

I have written about the importance of teaching the proper use of demi pointe before. In that article, I mention how often I find myself “screaming” about it over and over and over again because it is crucial for… Read More

Demi Pointe and the Adult Beginner