4teachers – Page 68

Teaching Tip: Beating Burnout

December 22, 2009 by 4dancers

If you are feeling burnt out and wonder if your dance students are able to tell…guess what? They already know.

Chances are good that by the time you are feeling fried, you have been teaching on auto-pilot for a while already. Students are the first to notice. What is the best remedy? It’s different for everyone, but here are some simple things you can try to shake off the blahs:

+ Take a class. Mine some ideas from another teacher. It’s ok. You’ll put your own stamp on them. It’s good to get new perspectives and we can all learn from each other. This is a great way to find new things to do in class.

+ Take a break. Get a substitute and go to the movies for the day. Sometimes just clearing your head is all that is needed to refresh yourself. This can be especially true if you teach multiple classes. It’s hard to give your all when you are constantly going. [Read more…]

Dance Jobs: Santa Barbara City College, Dance Instructor

December 22, 2009 by 4dancers

This position begins in August of 2010, and it is for the Department of PE/Health/Recreation at Santa Barbara City College. It is a 1-year temporary contract, and the application deadline is February 5, 2010. Might be the right job for someone looking for a little bit of sunshine. Can you tell I live in the Midwest?

Dance Jobs: University Of North Carolina, Ballet Faculty – School of Dance

December 12, 2009 by 4dancers

Since I just featured a school from the state, I thought I might add a job opportunity from there as well. The University of North Carolina School Of The Arts is searching for a Ballet Faculty member for the School of Dance. The appointment begins in September of 2010, and the review for the postion will start on January 15, 2010. If you are interested, see the job description for more details.

The Nutcracker And You

December 10, 2009 by 4dancers

Everyone has their favorite corner of this holiday classic. For me it was always the snow queen. It doesn’t matter how many times I hear that music….

Some people love the sugar plum. Others have an affinity for the Spanish dance or the Arabian dance. The choices are as varied as the music. It never ceases to amaze me how different parts of The Nutcracker affect different people. As a little girl, I wanted to be Clara, but as I got older the role had less and less appeal…

I’d be interested to hear what 4dancers readers have to say about this ballet. What do you connect with? Who would you be if you had your choice? What was your favorite role to dance?

Dancing With The Music

December 9, 2009 by 4dancers

Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another. ~Author Unknown

There was a girl in my early ballet classes that had it all–or so I thought. She had perfect feet, a perfect body and flawless technique. Every combination was executed exactly as it should be. Every position was correct. I thought I wanted to be her…

Then I discovered something…she had no musicality.

Now…I don’t mean she couldn’t dance to the beats of the music. She did that. But there is a certain something that sets a dancer apart when she becomes one with the music instead of dancing to it. And that…she didn’t have.

It can be difficult to explain why a dancer captures an audience. There is a certain, elusive “something” that they have that by its very nature defies quantifying. Even so…you know it when you see it. And it is my firm belief that you either have it–or you don’t. I think that musicality is something that is innate. I don’t think it can be learned. That is why the quote above speaks to me. It puts forth the same type of idea as dancing to the music as opposed to dancing with it.

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