The arrival of September officially marks the arrival of the back to school season. The start of a “new year” affords us the opportunity to create brand new communities in our classrooms and studios. So often, we are tempted to immediately jump into technique and choreography, but taking time for team-building exercises and community building … More My Favorite Introduction Games for Dance Classes
Improvisation can have a vast array of benefits for dancers of all ages and skill levels. When students improvise, they: Discover how to apply technical concepts in new ways, helping them to more deeply understand and internalize their dance technique Develop self-awareness as they explore movement principles and ideas in ways that work best for … More Dance Improvisation Tips & Activities
This is the first in a series of posts on building empowered dancers in the ballet studio. What is an empowered dancer? In my opinion, students who are empowered are: Self-aware and self-reliant (physically, cognitively, and emotionally) Confident and able to make their own decisions Adaptable and open to new ideas Knowledgeable about their own … More Empowering Our Ballet Students, Part 1
This video has been circulating on the web, and I’ve got a problem with it. On Facebook and other sites, the little ballerina is lauded for her technical skill and ability at such a young age. However, there are some serious issues at play in this little girl’s training. First, at age 8 (or … More Are We Training Away Our Art Form?
