How To Choose A Ballet Teacher - Why Good Technique?
By Dianne M. Buxton

Ballet absolutely should be - well, fun - was not the word I ever thought of when I was a child in class. Being in class and struggling along with the other girls was fun. A sense of accomplishment was satisfying. Strict teachers could be terrifying but the accomplishment seemed all the more when
approval was expressed.

The yearly performance was important. A goal, after the dreaded
exam was over for the year, a goal involving real presentation -
nervousness and excitement that usually seemed a lot more worth
it to me, than the exam in the ugly tunic. No covering up those
technical imperfections that a tutu or some other poetic garment
would upstage!

Many students have a sense of pride and a fairly realistic feel
for authentic technique and elegant style, unless they have
never seen good ballet. Strength and control and poise are
elements of training that build a real grasp on life experience
for a child, or an adult for that matter. Training later in life
can be a serious and meaningful pursuit - whether an adult is a
beginner or reviving former skills.

A good teacher can be mercilessly picky about technical basics,
and still offer a variety of exercises, with much elegance,
grace, and FUN.

SO it MATTERS even if your child may take ballet for only a
year or two or three. There may be a later interest in jazz,
karate, tap, modern dance or acting, all of which will benefit
from a little grounding in safe, properly taught technique and
artistic presentation. Discipline - actually self-discipline,
which isn't really discipline because you're doing something you
want to do - say dedication is a better word, dedication can be
discovered. It is wonderful to find out that you can be
consistent, work hard, with the required concentration and I
don't know what can do that better for a student than a fine art
or athletic training.

Education in general does not offer such a rarified experience
of oneself. Such hard work that is ballet is a unique and very
personal activity, the level of understanding and physical
application that can be achieved in the simplest of exercises is
REAL accomplishment, that can never be taken away.

It is just wonderful to impress yourself occasionally, also,
with something that matters to YOU.

So to recap on some points of what you want to see clearly in
viewing classes - (or just go to my other articles on How To
Choose a Ballet Teacher - re posture, turnout, and general
overview,) you hopefully will see a teacher who takes time at
the beginning of each exercise to check everyone's posture - who
watches and instructs on safe turnout (feet, knees and thighs
all turned out the same degree) and who is persistent and
repetitive in teaching technical points AND is also able to
combine artistry into her/his exercises as well. If so, you've
got a keeper.

About the Author: Dianne M. Buxton is a graduate of the
National Ballet School of Canada. She taught there for several
years, and also taught at York University and George Brown
College in Toronto, and at Harvard University.
http://manifestingsuccess.blogspot.com

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