Articles

Maximize Learning Retention

October 21, 2016

If students are not retaining the new skills we teach them, it could be because we as teachers are not honoring their natural flow of learning. Learning new skills follows a logical pattern, and we have to address the “why” and… Read More

Maximize Learning Retention

Self-Esteem in the Pre-Ballet Class

May 13, 2016

Self-esteem is an internalizing of who and what you are. Knowing and understanding who we are is essential to the growth process of every individual. Lack of such knowledge or the internalizing of wrong ideas about themselves can cause lasting… Read More

Self-Esteem in the Pre-Ballet Class

Expecting Good Behavior From Preschoolers

September 2, 2015

Three, four and five year olds are the most complex, delicate and fascinating students to teach! Not everyone walks into their ballet classroom and feels fully prepared for what is to come. These great points from the Level 2… Read More

Expecting Good Behavior From Preschoolers

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

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

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"

Ballet Student Personalities: "The Puppy Dog"

September 18, 2014

Have you ever corrected a student and received an emotional breakdown in response? If you haven’t yet, you most likely will at some point. Children, just like adults, carry around quite a bit of baggage, and… Read More

Ballet Student Personalities: "The Puppy Dog"

Ballet Student Personalities: "The Apathetic One"

September 18, 2014

Why the long face? Though some of us would like to believe that we are bringing up the next generation of flawless ballerinas, the fact remains that they will not all love to dance, and… Read More

Ballet Student Personalities: "The Apathetic One"

Ballet Student Personalities: "Who, Me?"

September 18, 2014

Deer in the headlights, anyone? It seems she cannot comprehend why you would ever correct her in the first place. “What could I have possibly done wrong?” These “Who, Me?” students are the children who may not… Read More

Ballet Student Personalities: "Who, Me?"

Ballet Student Personalities: "Not Listening"

September 18, 2014

Even as the words are coming out of your mouth, you can see all the signs that her mind is trailing off in some other direction. The student that simply will not stay engaged with the lesson is particularly puzzling (and patience-testing). Read More

Ballet Student Personalities: "Not Listening"

Ballet Student Personalities: The "Know-It-All"

September 18, 2014

The Know-It-All This is the student that looks at you with the “what information could you possibly have for me that I don’t already know?” look. No matter how many times you may look… Read More

Ballet Student Personalities: The "Know-It-All"