Articles

How To Talk Effectively With Children

March 14, 2015

Young children, especially children ages 3 to 5, do not understand the spoken word as well as we think they do! They have a large vocabulary of words and phrases, but the exact meanings are not always clear to them. In… Read More

How To Talk Effectively With Children

Training Your Dance Assistant

March 6, 2015

Teachers have gone back and forth on this issue forever: Is it a good idea to use a teacher’s assistant in class? Some are like I was and would prefer that the teacher be the sole authority in… Read More

Training Your Dance Assistant

The Twelve Week Rule

February 21, 2015

One of the hardest things a pointe teacher faces is the fear that their students may injure themselves. This, of course, is the last thing we want for our students. Too often the students are pushed too hard too soon, and… Read More

The Twelve Week Rule

The 3 Stages of Coordination

February 13, 2015

Ballet skills are built upon the base of natural skills that has been developed within the person. This is why extensive experience with fundamental movement skills is important for a ballet class of young children. It is surprising… Read More

The 3 Stages of Coordination

Don't Be A Skipper, Teach Them To Skip!

February 7, 2015

Skipping requires balance, symmetry in muscle use, self-esteem and some natural coordination. It is often used as an indicator of ‘readiness to learn’ academic subjects. It is expected that children in a dance class will learn to skip. Read More

Don't Be A Skipper, Teach Them To Skip!

Pacing of Ballet Classwork

January 31, 2015

I remember the very first time I taught a pre-ballet class by myself. It was a group of crazy, beautiful, energetic 5 and 6 year-olds. They looked at me with expectation and excitement and I looked right back with sheer… Read More

Pacing of Ballet Classwork

Choreographic Advice for Teachers

January 23, 2015

“Never let an opportunity go without adding your enlightening [movement] to further the cause of the loftiest, oldest, most profound of the arts and, in so doing, I sincerely believe that you will be… Read More

Choreographic Advice for Teachers

Is My Student Ready for Pointe?

January 13, 2015

This is such a big and important question. It is one of hardest questions ballet teachers face. We don’t want to put them on pointe too early because they can really injure themselves. So, when is the right time to start with… Read More

Is My Student Ready for Pointe?

Planning Your Lessons

January 6, 2015

Let’s face it: we don’t have time to do detailed planning for every class. Class just isn’t the same if you walk in without a lesson plan. The students don’t get as much out of the time you have… Read More

Planning Your Lessons

5 Principles of Classical Ballet for Young Children

December 19, 2014

Even at the earliest age, ballet students are absorbing the classical principles we instill in them. From as early as age 3, there are fundamental movement and artistic elements that can be cultivated in order to shape how that student learns and… Read More

5 Principles of Classical Ballet for Young Children

Teaching Pre-Ballet is a Challenge!

December 2, 2014

It is a challenge for creative teachers to keep the ballet and other choreographic movements within the abilities of young dancers! It is worth your time and effort to do so. The end result will be better dancers in your… Read More

Teaching Pre-Ballet is a Challenge!

Six Choreographic Guidelines for Threes

November 16, 2014

It surprised me this year how much of a struggle it is to choreograph for three and four year olds! Doesn’t seem like a huge task; after all, they’re only preschoolers! They’ve hardly scratched the surface of ballet technique, what… Read More

Six Choreographic Guidelines for Threes

No-Stress Performance Prep

November 10, 2014

In my last blog post, (The Dance Teacher’s Secret Weapon) I gave out the secret that every dance teacher should grab a hold of and use the moment any students begin to show signs of burnout or boredom. Having… Read More

No-Stress Performance Prep

The Dance Teacher's Secret Weapon: Expectancy

November 6, 2014

It’s been one of those weeks. We all know them—toward the end of the first term, dance teachers often experience their first bouts of student burnout. Everything was great when we first started the semester, but now the students have already… Read More

The Dance Teacher's Secret Weapon: Expectancy

Preparing Little Feet for Pointe

October 13, 2014

I have an eight year-old student who loves to do tricks. She’s been dancing for two years, but this is my first year as her teacher. By the second class of the semester, she had already shown me—twice—how she can “stand… Read More

Preparing Little Feet for Pointe

Why "Changing It Up" May Not Always Be Best

October 6, 2014

One might think that the best way to keep a group of active, eager and talkative 9 year-olds’ attention would be to make things different each week of ballet class. That way they stay engaged and interested. Ruth Brinkerhoff’s “… Read More

Why "Changing It Up" May Not Always Be Best

Preparing for Recital

September 29, 2014

Believe it or not, the time is fast approaching for teachers to begin thinking about what they’d like their classes to do in their year-end performance. Don’t believe me? Just ask any director of any school anywhere and they’re probably… Read More

Preparing for Recital

Ballet Began In Italy

September 25, 2014

Say what?!Yes, indeed. Some people think that, because ballet terms are in French, that France must have been the origin of ballet. Of course, we ballet teachers know this, but remember, some of our students do not know that the… Read More

Ballet Began In Italy

Plan for Success

September 23, 2014

Never underestimate the power of planning ahead. Being a teacher means you must be 100% present with each class that you teach so that your students receive the best possible instruction with each passing week. In my early years,… Read More

Plan for Success

Point Your Toes vs. Point Your Foot

September 20, 2014

It may not be such a good idea to use the phrase “point your toes” in pre-ballet class. How many of us have encouraged our little ones to “point your toes”, and we still don’t see the results we desire?… Read More

Point Your Toes vs. Point Your Foot

The One Thing I Wish I Knew

September 19, 2014

I attended ballet class on a regular basis from the age of 6 through 18 and no one ever really explained it to me. If someone had, I’m pretty sure my dance career would have been very different. I struggled… Read More

The One Thing I Wish I Knew

Weight Placement en Pointe

September 19, 2014

When I explained this concept to my Pointe students, they were blown away! Some of them are taking pointe for the first time this year, but others have been on pointe for three years now and have never been told… Read More

Weight Placement en Pointe

The Triangle of the Foot

September 19, 2014

“Don’t roll your feet! Keep your arches lifted!” I’ve received the correction myself, but I’ve not been able to find a good way to explain it to my younger, beginner/intermediate students. Ruth Brinkerhoff’s “Pointe 1: An Introduction to… Read More

The Triangle of the Foot

Why the Rush?

September 18, 2014

There is a prevalent acceptance in ballet studios these days of a sadly dangerous belief. I most definitely do not understand it, and I wish there were some way to gather all the moms, teachers, and studio owners together… Read More

Why the Rush?

Ballet Student Personalities: "The Sponge"

September 18, 2014

She’s your every dream come true. She’s “The Sponge.” There is one particular student that I think of when I use this term. She is not perfect. She is not there yet. But, my,… Read More

Ballet Student Personalities: "The Sponge"