Taking corrections

Face it, you can't always take corrections when they're given. Sometimes you're not experienced enough or in touch with your body enough to understand how to apply them. A good teacher will realize this and not attempt to force a correction on you that you aren't prepared to accept. When you attend class consistently with a teacher, she will get to know you and watch how you grow. She will know when you are ready to take a correction and apply it properly.

As teachers we all want that "aha!" moment in our students' lives. We want to see their eyes light up in understanding. And more importantly, we want to see our corrections used so our students will grow as dancers. As frustrating as it is for you to not "get" the correction, it's frustrating for us as well when we try very hard to give a student information he or she isn't ready to input.

Emotionally, too, some students are not prepared to accept corrections. They need to arrive at a point where they trust that the teacher is helping them, not merely throwing things at them and expecting miracles. Again, a good teacher wants YOU to do better for your growth as a dancer. Giving you a complex correction or one that is so esoteric as to be un-applyable (is that a word?) is merely self-serving for a teacher, an ego boost that makes her appear more "professional" or "expert" than she may be. As a student, I don't care about my teacher's experience - only as it applies to me. Can she give me corrections that enhance my skills as a dancer?

A good teacher wants you to trust her. She wants you to believe she is there to help you, not glorify herself. Consistency of attendance in her class will give you an idea if she has your best interests in mind.

Ballet Breakthroughs

Whether you're a beginning dancer or an advanced one, the elusive "breakthrough" moment, the aha! moment, is one that you strive to reach every class. For some people, it's nailing the triple turn; for others, it's the timing of a fouette; and for still others, it's merely a head snap.

For me, it's always been about pirouettes. Every teacher I have known has tried to give me guidance on making my turns smoother and faster. One teacher gave me directions on my arms, another on the placement of my fourth position. Recently, one gave me a spotting note - and it worked! Now, the test of whether advice works is if you can recreate it on your own. Can you go into a different class and do the same thing? Can you come back to your usual class and do it again? Can you make it happen without the teacher reminding you?

When I teach, I remember my own reactions to corrections and I try to reflect that in the guidance I give my students. Sometimes a student will respond to counting. Another might need to hear the words of the steps spoken out loud. And a third might need to see me do it in order to do it herself. Obviously I can't give these three people the same correction. So when a student is having a tough time breaking through, I use whatever I can to get them to the right place. It may take a while for them to get it but when they do, it's a real cause for celebration.