Teaching Tips – Page 9

Teaching Tip: For The Barre

February 1, 2010 by 4dancers

It’s so easy for bad habits to develop at the barre if you are not careful. Left unchecked, these little problems will eventually unfold into major issues when you take your technique to the center. The good news is that certain things can be prevented if you know how to deal with them ahead of time.

I wrote an article for Dance Spirit on this subject that you can check out for tips on everything from how to avoid using the barre for leverage to how to know if you are at the right distance from it. I talked to a few great teachers and got some terrific advice.

The more you can perfect your work at the barre, the better you will be as a dancer. Use that time to your advantage and don’t be tempted to “cheat” and do things that will ultimately have a poor impact on how you develop your strength and technique. Do it right–and you will reap the rewards!

Teaching Tip: For The Older Teacher

January 18, 2010 by 4dancers

I am a teacher who is over 40, and I have noticed a few things that I would like to pass along to teachers who are no longer dancing full-time. Please feel free to share your own if any come to mind that aren’t on this list:

+ Be sure to warm up your feet and ankles prior to teaching a class. Taking a few minutes to stretch out your Achilles tendon and calf muscles can make a world of difference. I’ve noticed that my ligaments and tendons need a little blood flow to work properly now. Demi plies and slow ankle circles make a good warm-up.

+ Choose shoes carefully. I found that once I stopped dancing full-time it was less comfortable to wear regular technique slippers. I now use “dance sneakers,” but have seen teachers wear everything from character shoes to jazz shoes for teaching class. The important things are comfort and the ability to show the steps clearly to students.

+ Utilize students for demonstration. I’m no longer up to doing a grand jete–much less doing one without having done a barre first. When you can, use a student to demonstrate steps that can possibly cause you injury. It makes the student feel good and saves your body the impact.

+ Schedule yourself sensibly. You may want to spread classes out over a few days rather than doing four of them back-to-back. Your body will tell you what it can and cannot handle, so be sure to pay attention to the signs of overdoing it. If you feel stiff, bruised or exceptionally tired, you may be taking on too much at once.

It can be very difficult to adjust your teaching style to adapt to changes in your body as you get older. As dancers we don’t like limitations–we have been taught to push our bodies as hard as we can. Even so, making some minor adjustments can mean that you are able to teach more effectively as well as feel better physically, so it really is worth it in the long run.

Any tips to share?

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…]

Teaching Tip: Remembering Names

December 8, 2009 by 4dancers

As a teacher, you need to know how to remember names.

For many people this can be a challenge, but the good news is that there are many different tools you can employ to do it. Here are a few, along with some resources for more help if you need it:

+ For the first two or three classes, try to use names all the time. Students are forgiving if you forget in the beginning, but later on it can be insulting if you don’t remember a name.

+ Use a class list. I used to do this all the time…I’d print out a class list, then make a few notes during the course of the class to help remember who is who. Haircolor, outstanding features and anything else you can jot down will be helpful.

+ Make a conscious effort to remember names when people introduce themselves. If you are distracted, chances are it won’t sink in. Focus on the person and mentally (or even verbally) repeat the name so you solidify it in your head… [Read more…]

Teaching Tip: Using An Assistant

November 30, 2009 by 4dancers

Having a teaching assistant can be a great way to ease your class load a bit. Those who could benefit from having a student demonstrate for class include:

+ Older teachers or those with an injury. Instead of doing the movements yourself, you can utilize the student to communicate the movements for you. This is much easier on the body. I do it when I can, but if I keep teaching for much longer, I will need to rely on it more often!

+ Teachers with a heavy class load. A teaching assistant can ease the burden and help keep you from getting fried.

+ Studio owners who have a talented student who is in need. Using a gifted student as a demonstrator means they will get more class time and practice. This can be a good situation for a studio owner that wants to help out a family that cannot afford to pay for multiple classes.

Naturally there are others who can benefit from this type of situation, but the ones above stand out as reasons that I have seen it done. There are a few things you may want to keep in mind if you decide to go this route… [Read more…]

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