Year-end technique tip for 2019

As we bring the year to a close, I tried to think of one correction that represented 2019.

Was there a common thread among the issues I seemed to constantly be correcting among my students?

Was there a single thing that I seemed to be focused on primarily?

Could we condense 2019 into one technique tip that everyone could learn from?

I talk so frequently about turns, about visual images that help us in the center, about performance quality, about technical details...was there one that connected everything? And then it hit me:

LIFT.

It is the number one thing I have been talking about throughout the entire year: lifting.

Lifting the sides of your waist at the barre or in the center.

Lifting your heels on turns and balances en releve.

Lifting your eyes so you don't direct your energy into the floor.

cc lic Shannon Clark

Lifting your elbows on chaine turns.

Lifting your collarbones on turns and promenades.

Lifting your back on arabesques and turns.

Lifting your core on jumps and developpes.

I talk a lot about lifting your rib cage out of your pelvis, which gives you more room under your hips for fast footwork and bigger battements. We especially talk about this in pointe work. You want to move your rib cage slightly forward when you bourree, when you echappe, when you turn. The only way to accomplish this is to feel your torso lift up and out.

cc lic Oregon State University

There is, of course, an internal component to this notion of lifting. Often when we feel exhausted, mentally or physically, we express that in our posture: our shoulders roll forward, our centers collapse, the backs of our knees soften. Sometimes we don't even realize we are doing that; it has become so much a part of us. And it doesn't help to commute long distances, to sit in front of computers at desks for so many hours, to stare down at our phones all the time. Those activities, seemingly innocuous, take a huge physical toll on us.

Ballet combats this. 

Ballet - wait for it - battles it.

(Ha! Dance joke!)

Seriously, though, we are constantly adjusting our alignment in ballet and the smallest details can have a great impact. A tilt of the pelvis, a curl of a toe, or an over-rotation of an ankle can lead to big problems when we walk or drive or sleep. Conversely, making those minor changes can solve lots of real-life issues, not just in dance class:

--Finding a new way to hold your upper back can lead to less fatigue when you're driving.

--Engaging your core muscles can energize you when you're at your desk.

--Pulling up your knees, supporting your arches, freeing your neck from tension - all are ways to prevent you from being tired and creaky and sore.

And when we feel good physically, that can help improve our mood. And vice versa.

cc lic courtesy tshein

So I will add one last tip to this: do what you can to lift your mood.

That can happen just by walking into the studio, by surrounding yourself with your friends in a supportive environment, by focusing on something other than work and life problems, by physical movement and endorphins, by giving yourself permission to feel bigger and prouder and confident. In class, we can be lifted by giving others a lift: when we encourage and support others in class, whether they need an emotional boost or a helpful suggestion or even a compliment on the way they hold their hands at the barre, we can give ourselves a boost too. It's a wonderful cycle to continue!

Let's lift a toast to lifting more in 2020. Happy dancing!

cc lic State Library of Queensland

Pet peeve: don't lead with your chin

There are many ways of learning or performing a cambre forward, colloquially known as "port de bras." Cambre is more technically correct because cambre just means bend, which we can also do to the side and back.

Joy Recital by Trish Fawver, CC license

There are many ways to bend forward. Or not at all.

Too often I see dancers lead with their chins as they go toward the floor rather than turning their head to the side like they are peering under their arm. Chin-leading also can crop up in pirouettes (or its converse, chin pulling-back).

Here are my hints for a pleasing-to-the-eye and easy-on-the-body cambre:

Going forward (or en avant) -
1. As you begin the bend at the waist, keep the arm outstretched in second position so it extends away from the center of the body.
2. Turn your head toward your arm as if you are laying your cheek against a table, lining up the chin with the inside of the elbow.
3. Maintain the position of the head relative to the arm as you bend farther forward.
4. When you reach the lowest point you can go, you will be twisted so can see the side (or back) of the room.
5. At this point, gather the arm that was in second to what would be a fifth position if you were upright and feel as if you are connecting the top of your head with the palm of your hand. At this moment, you can turn your head so you face your ankles.
6. Then in one movement, reach your hand away from your body and pull yourself back to a standing position, maintaining the same head/arm alignment and space as you do so.
7. Once in an upright position, open the arm to second.

Happy dancing~

Heels out, toes in

In physics, scientists are always looking for universal elements (see Unified Field Theory as an example), things that are true throughout the universe that can be applied in every situation.

Let's face it, it's a lot easier to say we should always hold our arms like this or we should always tilt our heads like that. But we don't. There are lots of different styles of ballet.

Still, that doesn't stop us from trying to find them! Rules, give us rules! We are disciplined ballet dancers who want to do everything right.

Here is one possible addition to our Unified Ballet Theory:

Heels out, toes in.

That is, every movement from our centers outward and away from our bodies, whether that is a battement tendu or a developpe devant  or even a retire, needs to begin with the heel of the foot moving first and then returning to the position (or the center of the body) with the toes.

Try it yourself.

1. Start in fifth position, right foot in front.
2. Using the heel of the right foot, begin to slide it en avant as you perform a tendu.
3. Notice how the heel stays lifted and the foot's arch is nicely curved as you stretch it all the way forward.
4. Now, using the toes of the right foot, pull it back to your fifth position and nestle it snugly against the instep of your left foot.
5. Feel how the muscles at the top of your leg are engaged and your rotation is being used as the foot returns to 5th.

Repeat the exercise with degage, grand battement, rond de jambe a terre, etc. Anything you want! And definitely try this a la seconde and  en arriere. It works!

Happy dancing~

Photo Alicia Heaney, CC Lic

Gettin' crabby

Are you ready to start the new year with some "crab-itude"?

As an instructor, I'm always looking for a new way for my students to approach their technique. Students are so individualistic that an image that works for one might not work for another so it's a constant search to find unusual ways to express a technical correction or mental image.

I've noticed recently that many of my students lose their cores when they move without the barre. I call it having an "ooey gooey center." It's hard to control your torso, especially when you shift your weight from two feet to one.

A good visual image is that of a crab:

By © Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=518367

Picture yourself like this crab with a strong and inflexible center while your arms and legs move independently. Each time you shift your weight, hold fast to your center and extend the arms and legs as far away from you as you can.

Be the crab.

Happy new year and happy dancing~

Nobody's Perfect! How to Take Corrections

Got a goal for the new year? I do! It's to perform consistent triple pirouettes. Maybe yours is to get on stage or to dance en pointe or to take an extra class each week. Whatever it is, you probably want to improve something about your dancing or technique. In order to do that, you'll probably need guidance.

No matter how experienced you are, there is always room to improve. Even professionals who have danced their entire lives have coaches, especially for specific roles they've been cast in. There is nuance and shading to a character, a little more oomph to eke out of an arabesque, or new ways of connecting with a partner.

George Balanchine giving a correction to a student.

But for many beginning dancers, corrections are often the kind of attention they think they don't want. They may not realize it's a good thing to be noticed when they're doing something wrong. So here are a few suggestions on how to take corrections when they are offered by a teacher:

1. Understand that a correction is a sign you have potential to improve. 
Talk to any teacher, whether it's dance or an academic subject, and they will tell you they spend more time with students they believe have the ability to improve. No one wants to give time and attention to a student who will ignore it.

2. Try to stay "in the moment" when you are receiving the correction.
If it's at the barre or center and the teacher has stopped the combination to address a correction on you, focus on the words she's saying rather than the message in your head ("Oh my god, everyone's looking at me!"). No one is judging you. In fact, they want to be in your place, getting the correction. And if you have an instructor who delivers corrections in a harsh tone, understand that your fellow dancers are all looking on with empathy.

3. If you are asked to repeat a step with the given correction, it's okay if you can't replicate it perfectly. 
Teachers want to see the correction on you to see if it works for you. If it doesn't work for you, then they will want to adjust the correction for you. If it will work but you haven't quite grasped it, they will keep an eye on that for future reference.

4. If you are being given a correction during class, that is not the time to argue or to question.
A correction is not an invitation to a dialogue. I give corrections three ways: 1) during a combination at the barre, I will make a personal adjustment on your body and then move on; 2) between combinations at the barre, I may use a student as an example to show a correction to everyone; and 3) during center, I may pull someone aside when they are between groups. In every one of those instances, my goal is to get the class moving again. I don't want to stop and have a discussion that will disrupt the flow. If you are given a correction during class that you just don't understand, it's okay to ask the teacher after class if she has time for clarification. If she doesn't, respect her time and ask if she could address the correction to the group next time in class.

5. After class, make a mental note of the correction you were given so you'll remember for next time.
Young children are encouraged to keep journals of corrections so they can see if they are given the same ones over and over again. The act of writing them down also helps to imprint them on their brains. You don't need to write them down, but it will definitely help you for next time if you take a moment to stop and recall what the teacher said to you.

6. Understand that a correction may take months or years to work for you.
There are corrections I can remember from a dozen years ago, from various teachers who saw something in me and offered guidance, but I wasn't in a place to take it in and apply it properly. You may hear a correction from a teacher today that you can't make work but in a month or three, you will suddenly have an "a-ha!" moment and realize what she meant.

7. Finally, no matter what your level, you can learn from every single correction that is given to another student.

And to those students who do not wish to receive corrections, it's okay to tell your teacher that in advance of class. For whatever reason, you may not wish to participate in class in that manner. Be polite and explain why and your teacher will understand. The worst thing for a teacher is to have her corrections ignored. That's when I stop giving them to a student. 

Happy dancing~

Teacher Awareness Syndrome

It's estimated 8 out of every 10 students suffer in silence.* 

It's not new. It's been around for years but it's just now getting the recognition it needs to be addressed.**

It's called Teacher Awareness Syndrome and it may have affected you when you were younger and you didn't even realize it. I will confess to being affected even now - occasionally, and not often, but yes it even happens to teachers and experienced dancers.

Not sure if you have it? Let's look at the symptoms:

1. Sudden inability to do even a demi-plie in first position at the barre when the teacher walks past you.

2. Perfect petit allegro dissolves into bumbling shuffles when called upon to demonstrate.

3. Leg and arm coordination evaporate when the teacher stops to ask your name or how you're doing.

Look, it happens to all of us, or at least most of us. You're doing perfectly fine. You've memorized the tendu combination and then the teacher swings by and you immediately forget all of it, resulting in the teacher thinking you either weren't paying attention or don't belong in the class.

The lucky few who shine when a teacher walks past are the innate performers. They are the ones who love the spotlight and standing in front of the room. They want to be the leaders of the first group across the floor. They want to be the ones the teacher holds up as examples for others.  

Those students are not the norm. Seriously, after years of teaching, I can tell you that even the best dancers falter under the scrutiny of a teacher. You can't help it: you want to do well. You want the teacher to notice you and give you feedback. It's helpful when it's corrective but it's also nice to get a comment like, "Nice job!"

My advice? 

Students: Relax. The teacher knows you're (probably) not screwing up her choreography on purpose. She knows that when you feel her eyes on you, you get nervous. If she pauses to watch you at the barre, just keep doing the exercise and don't engage in eye contact. If she calls to you during the center, let the comment wash over you and take it in after the exercise is over. It takes practice to do this but you'll get it.

Teachers: One method I use is to glance into the mirror when I'm watching a group, especially during adagio when people often falter. This lets me see everyone and scrutinize them but they don't feel my eyes on them individually.

Happy dancing~
---------
* Estimated by yours truly
** Recognized pretty much just by me

Breakthroughs for student and teacher

Eureka!

One of the greatest joys a teacher can experience is when her student finally gets a concept, whether it's a theme in a Mark Twain novel, a geometry equation or a dance step. We see the light in the student's eyes - the aha! moment when they finally - finally! - get it. It's wonderful to witness. And you hope that they will carry that moment with them into the next class and the next week and next month, etc.

In those instances, it's usually a case of a teacher having a certain number of ways to describe a concept and eventually hitting upon the one that works with that student. For example, when I am trying to get a student to understand how to pull up the front of her hips, I may emphasize lengthening her back or connecting her hips to her ribs or lifting her abdominal muscles or any number of other ways.  Eventually (I hope) I will get the one way that works for her.

But then there are the (admittedly rarer) instances when I have a breakthrough too. I might have a student who has a physical limitation that prevents her from applying corrections I am giving her. Or she might be applying them but the result is still not what I want, what is correct.  Because my classes are relatively small, I have the opportunity to give personal feedback and individual corrections, which allows me to really dig into ongoing issues with my regular students.

Recently, I had a student who was technically advanced and diligent about applying corrections.  She is intelligent and understands her body and how it moves but no matter how many different ways I would give her a correction, we could not get the right result! It was frustrating for her because she was struggling to get the right outcome and hearing me shouting about it all the time. And it was also frustrating for me because I had not gotten it.  I had not figured out what the problem was exactly in order to fix it.

And then finally - finally! - I got it! I was watching her during a private lesson and I saw something that I thought I could fix. When I suggested she try something (in this case it was moving her heel across her knee during an en dedans pirouette), it worked.  I was so excited about it that I asked her to apply it to a petit allegro step called brise vole - and that worked too! I cheered! I had been working with this student for months and eventually I got it.

In this instance, the correction was one I would never give to a class in general. It was so very specific to this student that it couldn't really be applied in the broader sense. But the wonderful thing for me was to know that my instinct was right. Even though it was not a traditional correction, it worked for her. I was so happy for her too because it was something I knew she could get into her head, into her body, and make it work for other steps.

Never ever say never. Never say you can't do something. Never say your body won't move that way. Never say a student is unteachable. If you take the time, trust your gut, try new things, eventually something will click. And when you both get it, cheer!

Happy dancing~

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.

Keeping a dance journal

Do you know that I can *still* remember corrections given to me by teachers from 20 years ago? I still try to apply them too (never did get them right!). I was taught to write down corrections after every class so that they would become solid in my mind and also so I wouldn't make the same mistakes twice. A journal can be especially helpful if you're taking with several teachers. One may suggest an arm or head correction while another focuses on your core. By writing it all down, it will reinforce your memory of the correction and also get it into your brain for an application of it somewhere else.

Here is a tip from Pointe Magazine:

"As ballet dancers, our days are chock-full of classes and rehearsals--which makes it difficult to keep track of all the important corrections we receive from teachers and coaches. Try keeping a dance journal. After class or rehearsal, spend some time reviewing your corrections, and jot them down in a notebook. Doing so will help you process and retain the advice--and the less time you spend re-fixing old problems, the more you can work on polishing the details. Soon, you'll be able to conquer whatever you've been focusing on, be it a triple pirouette or that tricky Odile variation."

Taking corrections

Most people you know hate hearing someone tell them what they're doing wrong.

But not you. You're a dancer. You want to hear what's wrong. You want to know how to improve your technique: a pirouette, a jump, even something as tiny as a tendu or an arm en bas. In fact, if you don't get a correction during class, you feel depressed, or worse, ignored.

Getting a compliment in class is nice, of course, but often teachers give those out when they're not warranted (not me, though - if you are my student, you can count on my compliment as sincere because just as sincerely, I will tell you when something looks horrible!). A compliment can be based on previous work, a previous correction or simply to be encouraging during a difficult step or combination.

Compliments are easy but corrections, on the other hand, are hard. They take a lot of work on the part of the teacher and student. First, the teacher has to notice you, has to see what you're doing and determine how it can be improved. Then she has to find the time and place to correct you. Then, *you* need to apply it. Finally, she has to see that the correction worked.

Most importantly, though, is that you understand the correction. If it seems complex during class, wait until afterwards and approach the teacher about it. It does you no good to nod your head and appear to understand when, in fact, you don't. Plus the teacher will assume either the correction didn't work for you or you ignored her suggestion. So, if it doesn't make sense or your mind can't take it all in during the class, be sure to get clarification. She'll appreciate that you want to get the most out of her class.

A general class correction can also be important to you: when a teacher gives a class correction, whether it's for a step or a combination, make sure you listen and internally apply it to yourself. If you're doing it right, good for you but if not, this could be an extra correction you can use.

When I was a young student, we were encouraged to use small notebooks and to write down every correction the teacher gave us specifically and as many of the general ones we could remember. The act of writing down each correction was itself a good exercise in correction retention, but also, we could review later or before the next class so the correction was not repeated. We hated to be told the same thing over and over! And the teacher hated telling us. While I don't keep a notebook anymore, I still remember every correction I get from my different teachers- even years later, I will remember them. They still come in handy.

Happy dancing~