Archive for the ‘2008 | 08 | August’ Category

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On My Mind     

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Teacher in the Spotlight | Veronika Farkas

Feature Articles
Inside a Dancemaker’s Mind by Darrah Carr
Give and Take by Shevon McBride
Ballet Scene | Art of the Pas de Deux by Theodore Bale
Dance at Any Age by Debbie Werbrouck
Winging It by Nancy Wozny
Collective Wisdom
Terpsichorean Calendar by Diane Gudat
Psyching Out the Guys by Gregg Russell
Front Runners and Guardian Angels by Debbie Werbrouck
Common Ground: for teachers and students | Beating the Back to School Blues by Misty Lown
Higher-Ed Voice | Voices of Experience by Joshua Bartlett

Dear Rhee,
For 17 years I ran my school in the same rented location. Then this year a perfect space in an up-and-coming area with many children became available, so I decided to take the plunge and go for the new space.

Here’s the problem: There are multiple schools located in my vicinity, but I have never worried about the competition because I’ve had more students than I could handle and I have a lot of confidence in what I do. But one night last week I received a call from my office manager, who lives next door to my new location. She said that several people were looking in the windows and trying to open the doors to my new school. When I arrived the police were questioning five women who had scratched obscenities on my brand-new front door and vandalized the lock on the back door. I recognized three of them as a school owner and two of her teachers, all from my town. I was shocked and so were the police.

The following morning I received a phone call from the school owner’s husband, who yelled at me for pressing charges against his wife and her accomplices. He told me that I would be responsible for ruining her reputation and business. Not once did he say that he or his wife were sorry or admit that she had done anything wrong. He said that I should have expected something like this for having moved into his wife’s “territory.” I hung up on the guy and called the police, who told him that if he contacted me again he would be charged with harassment.

I can’t believe that another dance teacher would do this to me. Things have settled down, but a reporter did a big story on the incident in our local paper, triggering a lot of questions from my students’ parents. I respond that I would rather not speak about it until the case is settled because I don’t want to be accused of slander. It is so hard for me to keep my mouth shut about all of this; I am frustrated because I want to tell everyone what happened. Another thing I think about is that if she could do this to me, how can she be a good mentor or teacher for her students? I need you to tell me if talking about this incident is wrong or if I should continue to stay mum. —Shocked

Dear Shocked,
The answer to this one is easy: Stay mum! You are right to worry about being accused of slander, and if you have any more concerns about your rights in this situation, you should contact a lawyer. Remember, the newspaper reporter has told the story for you, and I am sure that the entire community is gossiping about it. It is quite a tale! I am saddened to think that this school owner doesn’t seem to realize that her actions make all dance teachers look bad.

By the way, you have absolutely nothing to do with ruining this person’s reputation or business (which I do think is ruined); she and her husband can blame only herself and her accomplices for making such a stupid decision. You wondered how this person could be a mentor or a teacher, and so will every parent (or at least the smart ones) who reads the newspaper article. Again, that is why you should say nothing.

I commend your ability to refrain from discussing this incident with anyone. I probably would have been on the phone, telling this incredible story to everyone I know, but you have set an example that I will live by in the future. You are going to be just fine. I wish you all good things in your new location. —Rhee

Dear Rhee,
What do you think about requiring automatic payments for everyone enrolled in my school? I have 300 students, and I am finding it harder and harder to get payments in on a timely manner, and it’s costly for me as well as for the people who are late. If I did made auto-payments mandatory, like gyms and YMCAs do, do you think people would leave my school? Times are tough, I know, and people put off dance bills for other necessary family needs.

I am moving into a 6,000-square-foot building this summer that is a lease-purchase and will eventually be my own building. It will be more expensive, but it has great exposure since it is sandwiched between an elementary school and a middle school. I thought this might be a good time to implement the auto-pay program, but do you think it might be a disaster? Thanks for your advice. —Melinda

Hello Melinda,
This is the perfect time to initiate automatic payments for everyone. I know many school owners who require it for everyone at their school and it works out just fine. A couple of people might ask for another option and it is OK to work with them, but auto-pay will be fine with the majority of your clientele. (Tell them that you’re instituting it because your accountant insists on it; then they’ll be less likely to question it.) I wish you all the best. —Rhee

Hi Rhee,
Please help me. I offer a one-hour combination ballet and tap class for 4-year-olds. One of the parents who has already registered her child told me that many of her friends are considering another school because their kids want hip-hop. A few years ago I lowered the age requirement for hip-hop classes to 5 years old (for business, not educational, reasons). Now I’m feeling pressured again.

I’ve been in business for 26 years and feel that I do keep up with the trends. I am not resistant to new ideas, music, or subjects, but I have always felt that developmentally, children aren’t ready for the hip-hop experience and techniques in preschool. I believe the basics of ballet and tap would be more beneficial and more appropriate for their age and skill levels. Am I wrong? I may lose these students forever. What’s your opinion and advice? —Barbara

Hello Barbara,
You are not the first school owner who has written to me about parents requesting hip-hop for their preschool children. I agree that basics of ballet and tap would be more beneficial and appropriate for their age and skill level, but it seems that even preschool children (or their parents) are not immune from the latest trends.

At a Project Motivate seminar last year I met a teacher who had solved the problem by offering “Hippety-Hop” in her school’s preschool classes. By doing so, she was able to please the parents who wanted their children to be trendy, but she still managed to teach basic ballet skills along with some very basic hip-hop moves. It worked well for her, so you might want to try it. I wish you all the best. —Rhee

Dear Rhee,
I have recently encountered a problem at my studio that I don’t know how to handle. I have a dancer who takes three classes a week from me and is on my competition team. She also competes with another studio in the area. Her mother has told me that the other teacher is not big on technique work, and my studio is. Now kids from the other studio are calling me about technique classes but staying with the other studio because they feel loyal to them. But if they are so loyal, why do they want to learn technique from us?

I feel like this student is getting everything from my school and using it to the other studio’s benefit, and it doesn’t seem right. But I am unsure as to how to approach the subject with her. We had an argument last year because she was going to drop out of our competition piece one week before the event due to another competition she was in with the other studio. Please help! —Frustrated in Kansas

Dear Frustrated in Kansas,
I am on your side on this one; I would feel uncomfortable in the same situation. If you have a student who chooses to train at two schools but is on your school’s competition team, then her responsibility to your school should supersede any activities with the other school. That is something you should include in your policies for next season. Basically, if students compete through your school, those activities must take priority over any others they do.

As for the students who come to you for technique classes, I might not turn them away. At my brother’s school, students come from other studios to take technique classes only. It is extra income for the school and after a while, some of them end up being full-time students with the blessing of their former teachers. I hope this info helps. —Rhee

 
by Rhee Gold

Ahhh! A new season is in the works—and so are all those ridiculous phone and email inquiries from the parents of “exceptional” children. Here’s one of my favorites: “My 3-year-old does all the dances with the contestants on So You Think You Can Dance—it’s like she has already been dancing for 10 years! Do you have an advanced class for 3-year-olds?” And here’s another one I’ll never forget: “We just put a jungle gym in the backyard, where my daughter, who is 6, has been swinging and flipping herself all day, every day for the last couple of weeks. I know that she has the potential to be an Olympic gymnast. Can she take class with the 12-year-olds because she already has all the basics she needs?”

Those kinds of calls make many school owners wonder if parents are nuts; yet most of them aren’t. They are just extremely proud of their children and lack any knowledge of dance training.

Another interesting thing I have come to learn is that dance teachers are not immune from behaving just like those crazy parents who leave them dumbfounded. At one of my seminars a dance school owner proclaimed that her 4-year-old was better than all the kids at her school. She said she didn’t know what to do because even the teenagers’ classes weren’t challenging enough for her daughter! It’s not often that I am left speechless, but I was at that moment. All I could wonder is what those teenagers (and their parents) thought about having a 4-year-old in their class. Could it be that they interpreted this school owner’s actions as favoritism for her daughter? You bet!

As maddening as those crazy inquiries are, I advise you to welcome them. Why? Because you understand that it’s natural for some parents, especially those who have preschoolers, to think that their children have abilities way beyond their years. Most simply want you to listen to their story as if you’ve never heard one like it before. Once they have had the chance to say what they need to about their child, then it’s your opportunity to begin educating them about dance training.

If you handle these parents’ proud declarations and inquiries with patience, you just might have the honor of having those “exceptional” children at your school from their preschool years all the way through high school. By that time you’ll have educated both the parents and the children about the joys and demands of dance training. And you just might have created some lifelong dance lovers in that family, which you never could have done if you hadn’t had patience with that proud parent (whom you might be just like, given the opportunity!).

There’s a lot more to the start of the season than answering parents’ questions and starting new client relationships, and our Season Opener issue is packed with information to help you. Do you want to get more organized and improve your school’s image? Ever wondered what improvisation could do for your students or how you can juggle being a mom and a studio owner? Do you need tips on how to encourage boys to keep coming to your classes? Are you considering bartering with a client or community member, interested in hiring a front-desk person, or wondering if a dance degree is really worth it?

We’ve got all that covered, plus more! This month you’ll learn about the pleasures of teaching adults—especially those whose hair is tinged with gray—and gain some practical advice about that oh-so-important art, the pas de deux. We’ve got a fun dance quiz to share with your students and staff, plus a grab bag of “Collective Wisdom,” terrific ideas from your fellow dance teachers.

This issue is a meaty one, so kick off your shoes and settle down for a good read. Then get ready to kick off one terrific new dance season!

Words from our readers

As a dance teacher for over 50 years and as an educator with a degree in education, I have always been aware that there are many effective and exciting approaches to teaching. I particularly love to see the excitement in the eyes of the very youngest dancers in my preschool classes, including the Mommy & Me classes, when I introduce a new fun-filled dance or activity to teach a step or concept. So I feel distressed when I hear a teacher say that Mommy & Me classes do not work [“Not Mommy and Me,” DSL, January/February 2008]. Perhaps they should say they haven’t found an approach that works for them, or perhaps they just don’t like to teach very young children, because Mommy & Me classes can be so beneficial to a dance studio. I love teaching them. It’s an awesome privilege and responsibility to be the first teacher to introduce these young children to dance.
Eugenia Smith
Eugenia’s Dance Studio, West Seneca, NY

Thank you for the wonderful tribute to Gus Giordano in the May/June issue of Dance Studio Life. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and graduated from Northwestern University, and Gus’ classes played an important role in my jazz dance experience. His teachings have become the foundation for my jazz style. He will be missed, but as you said, not forgotten. Thank you for a great magazine.
Paula Donahoe
Dare To Dance, Manteo, NC

Rhee’s article [“On My Mind,” DSL, May/June 2008] about Gus was so beautiful—absolutely perfect! I was also at that class in Boston. It was probably one of the first classes that I ever took from him. And I remember idolizing Rhee’s mother and Helen with their “Jeannie” ponytails. Rhee, Gus would have been quite moved by your article and by all of your successes!
Laura Klein-Weiner
California Dance Theatre, Agoura Hills, CA

We’d love to hear from you!
Email your comments to Cheryl Ossola at Cheryl@rheegold.com or mail them to:

Editor
Dance Studio Life
10 S. Washington St.
Norton, MA 02766

Director of dance education, Imagination Stage, Bethesda, MD

NOMINATED BY: Elizabeth Falloon, student’s mother: “What sets Veronika apart from other teachers is the way she speaks to the whole student—her dancers grow in strength and beauty and appreciation of dance, but they also grow as people. Although Veronika’s standards for hard work and dedication are very high, she will give a tremendous effort back to any girl willing to work for her. Moreover, Veronika believes—and has proven—that with the requisite hard work and effort, anyone can be a real dancer.”

Veronika Farkas encourages her students to take risks. “If you make a mistake,” she tells them, “make a big one.” (Photo by Kate Kaufman)

AGES TAUGHT : Upper-level students, grades 6 to 12.

GENRES TAUGHT : Ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop, lyrical, tap.

TEACHING DANCE FOR: 10 years.

WHY SHE TEACHES: I began my career and continue to work as a professional dancer. Then I discovered a second passion—teaching the next generation of dancers. As a dancer, choreographer, and teacher, I try to expose my vision of dance. In training future generations, I hope they will continue my mission and use dance as one of their forms of communication and release.

GREATEST INSPIRATION: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Nejla Yatkin, an associate professor of dance at the University of Maryland and my mentor.

PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING: To release each student’s innate creativity through movement with the understanding that dance is a means of communication. I teach what I call dance theater—a fusion of dance technique and theater performance skills. I want students to not only refine their technique, but also apply and demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills and explore the relationship between movement and its emotional state.

WHAT MAKES HER A GOOD TEACHER: I work with my students in a very collaborative way. I encourage them to take risks. We come up with a concept as a group. We then explore the issues and topics together by doing lots of movement improv and writing work. Every student contributes to the process. By the time they reach performance, they own the piece because it is truly their work. I am the architect, but they are the builders. I always tell students, “This is your time to learn, and you learn from your mistakes. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Take a chance, and if you make a mistake make a big one.”

FONDEST TEACHING MEMORY: I sometimes work with students who have never danced before, and I remember those breakthrough moments when they “get” the power of dance. When I work with special-needs students, I am thrilled when they realize that just because they have a disability does not mean dance has to be out of their lives. And, finally, I am so proud during a performance when it is clear that my students are reaching the audience—I watch the audience be engaged, even surprised, at what a young artist can do.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR STUDENTS AND/OR TEACHERS: Technique and talent alone do not make a dancer. Passion does.

WHAT SHE WOULD DO IF SHE COULDN’T TEACH DANCE: My second passion is fitness. I teach fitness classes for all ages and levels.

MORE THOUGHTS ON DANCE AND TEACHING: Imagination Stage is a wonderful place for me to teach and create at because its mission is to empower young artists. I am allowed as a teacher and program director to nurture, challenge, and empower young dancers of all abilities.

Doug Varone’s choreographic process

By Darrah Carr

For more than 20 years, choreographer Doug Varone has carved a career path that is as full of unexpected twists and turns as his remarkable dances are. A tap dancer by training, he instead became a contemporary dance choreographer. Though he is unable to read music, he nevertheless enjoys regular commissions from leading opera companies. Now a widely respected, prolific choreographer, he struggled at first to define his own movement vocabulary. These surprising facts were revealed during a conversation on April 6 with critic Deborah Jowitt as part of the “Breaking Ground” lecture series presented by New York’s 92nd St. Y Harkness Dance Center. The evening yielded valuable insights about Varone’s choreographic process as well as his unique journey.

Contemporary choreographer Doug Varone started his dance career with tap training. (Photo by Rose Eichenbaum)

“I was a tap dancer as a kid. I studied it for nine years and was weaned on MGM musicals,” Varone explained. “I always had the idea that I would go into musical theater and be on Broadway.” It wasn’t until Varone enrolled at SUNY Purchase that he was introduced to other dance forms. “I encountered Graham, Limón, and ballet techniques for the first time in college. When I first arrived, the contemporary dance world did not make sense to me,” he said. “Fortunately, I had wonderful teachers, like Mel Wong, who talked to me about the philosophy behind the technique. It was the first time anyone had discussed art with me. Still, it took me a while to make sense of it all. It wasn’t until my second year that I began to understand the power of contemporary dance.”

After graduating, Varone danced in the companies of José Limón and Lar Lubovitch. “As a dancer, I felt like I completely gave over to other bodies and ways of moving. Limón’s work felt right in my body, and when I joined Lar’s company, his work felt right in my body. I lived in that repertory. Yet I always kept my own way of moving, too—a way that came from my training in musical theater.”

In 1986 he founded Doug Varone and Dancers as a vehicle to further explore his own choreographic voice. The transition to working with a group of dancers proved to be difficult, however. “I moved really differently when I was in the studio by myself. But once I put three dancers, or six dancers, in a room, then I started relying on things that I had learned from being in someone else’s work,” Varone said. “It was easy for me to make up steps in someone else’s frame of reference. But they were all steps without a choreographic thought process. I couldn’t figure out how to make something and pass it on to other bodies.”

Looking for a solution, Varone decided to stop making work with movement and focus on gesture instead. He recalled, “I started making tiny duets and trios for dancers sitting in chairs. They were all about gesture and relationships. Exploring the theatrical side of myself helped me to create a vocabulary without movement.”

‘Exploring the theatrical side of myself helped me to create a vocabulary without movement.’ —Doug Varone

Twenty years later, Varone is well past his early choreographic stumbling blocks, but he still relies on gesture in his work. “Gesture is such a beautiful choreographic tool. It blurs the line between just being and this dancerly thing that we do,” he said. “I love choreographing in extremes—doing something small, tiny, and still, and then doing something enormous and explosive. I love being able to do both at the same time.”

Indeed, Varone has mastered the art of doing more than one thing at once. In 2007, as part of his company’s 20th-anniversary season, he created three major pieces—the full-length, multimedia Dense Terrain for the Brooklyn Academy of Music; Victorious, commissioned by Bard SummerScape; and Beyond the Break (7 Dances for Ukulele), commissioned by Wolf Trap. In addition, Varone has received multiple commissions from major opera companies, such as New York’s Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Opera, in recent years.

Surprisingly, Varone found that his tap dance background relates directly to his operatic work. “My tap training instilled an innate sense of musicality. I hear rhythms where they don’t usually lie in the score. I listen to a lot of music. It sounds mystical, but I wait for a score to tell me how it should be choreographed,” he said. “I don’t read music; I have no musical training. I played the clarinet for three months in the fourth grade. But I have a sense of the architecture of music when I listen to it. For some reason, my brain can hear and see things in an almost graph-like fashion.”

Having no opera training has given Varone great freedom to experiment within that world. “I find ways to use and reinvent operas using dancers as characters. The dancers are not just onstage doing dances; rather they have enormous, actorly roles,” he said. “The opera becomes a beautiful marriage of music and dance. There is a beautiful breed of singers now who are completely open to doing and trying anything. If you get the right mix of artists together, then it opens the doors to many things.”

For Varone, whether he is working with his own company of dancers or with an ensemble of opera singers, the rehearsal process remains fundamentally the same. He noted, “It is about respect. There is always a great deal of respect in our rehearsal room. The way you treat people within the rehearsal process becomes that process. Every work is informed and fueled by the people in the room. I feel as if it is all of our work.”

How to barter in a money-based financial world

By Shevon McBride

Do you love being an independent professional? Do you relish the freedom, the flexible hours, and the 4:00 p.m. naps? Sure, but chances are you don’t savor the quarterly taxation and high start-up costs, and most likely you will miss out on the paid vacations, insurance benefits, sick leave, and other pluses that employees enjoy. There isn’t much you can do to avoid the taxes, but there is a way for you to squeeze by the other pitfalls. Are you looking for a creative way to save money or, better yet, not deal with money at all?

The secret is bartering. Before the printing of money, our country operated on a barter system, and this type of exchange is still common (though not always easy to spot). In bartering, goods or services are exchanged for other goods or services; for example, a plumber might do repair work for a dentist in exchange for dental care. Usually bartering results in a gain for both parties.

How it’s done
Because dance studio owners typically have clients who are hairdressers, manicurists, seamstresses, house cleaners, chiropractors, website designers, landscapers, masseuses, accountants, and so on, there are ample opportunities to barter services. Here’s one idea: If you have a social dance program, you could teach lessons to a group in exchange for a service that the group performs, such as a law firm exchanging professional services to draw up papers for you to establish an LLC. Most swaps are with friends who need a hand, so think of it as friends helping friends.

Another use of bartering is to pay off debt. Many dance studio owners barter with clients during peak times when extra help is needed. Asking clients to donate their time is a great way to help them pay off past-due accounts. One popular opportunity is on picture day, when extra help is a must. This is a good time to recruit one or two reliable parents who work well with the public. In return for their help, you could give them a tuition discount for the following month. They will appreciate the opportunity to help out in exchange for getting credit toward their bill.

One great advantage of bartering with an individual or small business is that it generates a strong feeling of getting as good as you give.

The opportunities to barter can go beyond the studio and have a trickle-down effect in the community. Not only does bartering eliminate the exchange of money, it’s also good for networking. For example, you might know a parent who could design your program or tickets in exchange for free recital tickets or a tuition discount. Not only do both of you benefit, but people in the community become aware of the talents that others have to offer.

Cautions
On the flip side of bartering is the possibility of an unbalanced exchange, when one person feels that the service performed is worth more than what is received. That can be avoided when the exchange is based on an agreed-upon value for the time or service. For a win–win situation to exist in a barter agreement, both parties involved need to compare the exchange of goods and services in a quantitative fashion. For example, using the previously mentioned scenario of bartering tuition costs for help on picture day, you would offer that parent a credit based on what you would have paid an office helper to assist you.

Another problem arises when parents expect you to barter with them, which sometimes gives other clients the impression that you are showing favoritism. To prevent this from happening, post a notice on the bulletin board to inform parents that you do barter and let them know which services you need.

Although bartering means saving money, it doesn’t mean saving time. Plan to spend a reasonable amount of time arranging the exchange, negotiating the terms, and keeping track of the necessary paperwork. Putting in writing the terms of the service being bartered and its agreed-upon value in dollars is essential. A written agreement helps to keep the exchange balanced and avoids any feelings of discontent that can arise with a verbal agreement. Include specifics, such as time lines, costs, and terms of approval of the completed service, to ensure that the barter is fair and balanced. Never assume that both parties understand the terms of a casual negotiation in the same way. Get it in writing!

Tax concerns
Bartering does not offer a loophole to avoid taxation. According to the IRS (www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc420.html), “income from bartering is taxable in the year in which you receive the goods or services. Generally, you report this income on Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business Form 1040.” In other words, an exchange of services counts as income and must be declared on your tax form. Reporting bartering activities to the wranglers of revenue is an intricate process, though it doesn’t always discourage people from swapping services.

Why bother?
Reporting a barter to the IRS, filling out the appropriate forms, doing the calculations, and keeping track of the exchange seems like a lot of work. So why bother? Isn’t it smarter to do business as usual? It’s true that it’s probably less of a headache to take money for your goods and services. After all, our society is set up to deal with cash-based exchanges, especially in multistage transactions—imagine trying to pay taxes with the massage you got from a parent in exchange for her daughter’s dance lessons. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean you should avoid taking the unconventional route. You have to decide if it is worth it to you.

One great advantage of bartering with an individual or small business is that it generates a strong feeling of getting as good as you give. Bartering lets both you and your trading partner show off your work and gives you an appreciative audience for your work—and that’s the kind of thing you can’t get from some big, impersonal corporate client. However, if a dispute arises about the quality of the service or product you receive, refer to your written agreement to settle it. The last thing you want is for the exchange to end with hard feelings—and the potential for negative word of mouth about you or your studio.

Some people think bartering is silly, a primitive technique from the days before money was invented. Others find it to be creative, fun, and even practical. Bartering is the modern-day expression of the Latin quid pro quo, which means “something for something.” You’ll have to decide whether it makes sense for you and your business. But the possibilities are endless and the results can be good—for the soul, for your image, and for livening up your life.

Quick Look: Bartering Pros and Cons

Marketing
Pro: Bartering can be a cheap means of marketing for your business. For example, if you barter with a parent who owns a daycare and she is happy with the exchange of goods, she in turn promotes your business through positive word of mouth.

Con: You shouldn’t count too heavily on bartering as a way to market your school. You might be better off using direct mail to create a good buzz about your business.

Exposure
Pro: Bartering gives you a chance to work closely with interesting people from different walks of life and become familiar with their products or services.

Con: People who are unfamiliar with the dance world might make unreasonable demands or have high expectations about what they should receive for their service.

Learning
Pro: Bartering can teach you new ways to negotiate and offer fresh insights into client relations.

Con: You can waste a lot of time in the bartering process. It can distract you from your real work.

Expert advice on teaching partnering

Interviews by Theodore Bale

Two bodies that move together, supporting each other through movements that are impossible for a single person, often create some of the most breathtaking moments in ballet choreography. But hours of partnering classes don’t necessarily add up to artfulness in a pas de deux. To find out how to set young students on the road to sensitive, safe, and sensational partnering, Dance Studio Life sought out teachers from all walks of dance education.

Tony Randazzo, now a ballet master at Boston Ballet, and Evelyn Cisneros in a 1988 San Francisco Ballet production of George Balanchine’s Ballo Della Regina. Randazzo was noted for his superb partnering. (Photo by Lloyd Englert)

What is the first thing you teach in a beginning pas de deux class?

Sarkis Kaltakchian, ballet instructor and faculty head, Tulsa Ballet Center for Dance Education: The first thing you teach is placement: the distance between male and female, the coordination and timing. Without these fundamentals, you can’t have a partnership.

Wendy Fish-Lawrence and David Lawrence, artistic directors, Connecticut Concert Ballet: The first exercises we teach are basic standing poses that allow both dancers to get used to being in close contact. We teach the boys how to interact with and present the girl and how to stand and guide her without being forceful or discourteous. We teach the girls how to present themselves as beautiful artists, to allow the boy to guide her while maintaining her independence, center, and stability. The boys are shown how to hold the girl’s wrists and waist in the correct position and manner and how to feel (not see) when she is on and off her center. The girls are shown how to stand strong and straight and not fidget or wiggle as the boys touch them. It can be very sweet and funny to see these first attempts at partnerships.

Tony Randazzo, ballet master, Boston Ballet: Generally, two hands on the waist is a good way to start, sensing very subtly where the sense of balance is in the woman. Maybe she’s in fifth position, maybe she’s in coup de pied, maybe she’s in passé—just having a sense of how to keep her on balance.

Bo Spassoff, president and director, The Rock School: I’ll go with the assumption that the students have already had a technique class so that they are warm. If there wasn’t any pointe work, I would make sure that the girls have some time to warm up their feet, and I would make sure that the boys do something to open and warm their shoulders and back.

Stephanie Spassoff, director, The Rock School: We don’t allow pas de deux classes to be taught unless the girls have had a pointe warm-up and both males and females have had a ballet class.

Warren Conover, assistant dean, School of Dance, North Carolina School of the Arts: The first thing I teach for a beginning pas class is simply holding the girl up on pointe in a passé as well as arabesque with a few promenades. I also teach walking together and the males presenting and escorting their partners.

How much of partnering depends on strength and how much is technique, such as physics and working together?

Sarkis Kaltakchian: Both are very important in partnering. You have to have a secure technique and an equal amount of physical strength. Timing, however, is most important.

Wendy Fish-Lawrence/David Lawrence: For girls, strong technique and physical strength are required, as is, even more so, spatial and directional awareness. Initially we teach the boys that pas de deux is 90 percent technique and 10 percent strength. As they progress that ratio lowers a bit, to 70/30 percent, and we introduce the concepts of nuance, anticipation, and musicality. For the girl to succeed she must be a master of her own technique with a strong musical and artistic awareness. For the boy, he must subjugate himself to the tastes and idiosyncrasies of his partner, always be supremely aware of her, and do all he can to make her look as beautiful as possible as effortlessly as possible. Physics and the willingness to work together are separate issues that enhance the overall success.

Tony Randazzo: To a large extent it has to do with technique, for the man as well as his partner. When it comes to lifting and carrying, especially with lifts that are held for long durations and lifts that travel in different arcs on the way up and on the way down, a base of strength is required. The more demanding the choreography is, the more strength and stamina come into play, especially the stamina needed to do several lifts in close proximity. In John Cranko’s work, for example, the pas de deux are very demanding, especially in Onegin, Romeo and Juliet, and Taming of the Shrew.

Bo Spassoff: It’s really both. Technique is perhaps the more important part. It depends on the kind of partnering you’re doing as well. We just taught Spring Waters, an older Russian pas de deux where he’s lifting her up and throwing her around. He has to make it look like it’s nothing, of course, and the girl has to have plenty of upper-body strength as well, since in one push-lift she has to push down.

Stephanie Spassoff: There has to be a similar way of moving. A lot of it can be achieved through rehearsal, but you have to move and breathe as one. You can be together in terms of timing, but if the breath and the preparation of a turn or a jump aren’t coordinated, then you’re making it hard for him and he’s making you look like you weigh a ton.

Warren Conover: In pirouettes, the ladies should not try to help their partners but have the technical ability to execute pirouettes on their own.

How do you address issues of trust and communication in your classes?

Sarkis Kaltakchian: Trust and communication are important aspects of a successful partnership. It starts in the classroom. As a teacher, I try to create an atmosphere of openness, not only to taking correction but to communication between each other.

Wendy Fish-Lawrence/David Lawrence: We start with some modern-dance trust exercises: allowing both men and women to be led by the other with eyes closed and using off-balance poses and experimentation to emphasize the importance of alignment to both partners. We also emphasize the importance of body language and facial expression at all times; dancers must always be positive and eager with their partners as well as with choreographers, teachers, and directors. This attitude creates a positive and supportive environment within which the students work and learn.

Tony Randazzo: Partners each have certain responsibilities. If they really focus on their task, trust will happen over time. It’s when they start interfering with each other’s job and get outside of their own responsibilities that they start developing the wrong relationship and trust cannot come about. It’s a learning curve for the men and the women. The women have to hold themselves as they would if they didn’t have a partner, and the men need to develop the skill of sensing balance. If the women keep trying to help the men by trying to get themselves back on balance when they’re slightly off, then the men never have the opportunity to discover that the balance is off. The man just senses that the woman is kind of twitching, so he doesn’t have the opportunity to learn and improve. Then he feels mistrusted and she feels not cared for, and it develops a negative cycle. They have to encourage each other for quite a while, and then they will notice that things really do start to come along if they stay in their own domain.

Bo Spassoff: What I say in the beginning is always a joke: “No matter what happens, it’s always the boy’s fault!” It makes the girls feel better! I think in each class we stress a clear understanding between the partners of the principles they need to know, and how to do it and communicate together. We have a lot of boys in our school, and we don’t think it’s productive, obvious, or logical to have the same partner day in and day out. Coaching a pas de deux for a performance, of course, is different than a partnering class. We stress that they talk to each other, and when you see they’re having problems, you take them aside. It’s that personal touch of asking them what the issues are, what could be working better—and then you work on that. It’s pretty much like coaching anything.

Stephanie Spassoff: I usually tell the girls that they must understand that they are at the mercy of the guy. He can make you look supremely talented or like a blithering idiot, no matter how gorgeous a dancer you are. No matter what you think of the guy, you have to be nice and respectful, understand his point of view, and do everything you can do to help him help you. You don’t give attitude, you don’t get huffy, and you don’t treat him like he’s there to serve you. It’s a working partnership, and you have to have mutual respect. The bottom line is that he can totally ruin you, so you don’t want to have arguments with him. Aside from the fact that you shouldn’t treat a human being like that, it’s in your own best interest to make sure that he wants to make you look good. A lot of wonderful, strong dancers try to do the entire pas de deux by themselves—the balances, the turns, all of it alone. The woman needs to be as self-sufficient as she can be.

Bo Spassoff: Lupe Serrano, who was director of The Rock School before I was here, would try to do all of Black Swan pas de deux by herself, saying, “Then I knew I wouldn’t have a problem with the guy.”

Warren Conover: Trust and communication are encouraged by having the students verbalize what is needed in order for the ballerina to maintain her balance and placement. Sometimes I have the ladies fall backwards into the guys’ arms in order to learn trust. This has to be monitored carefully, making sure the guys are prepared to catch their partner.

Some schools teach students mainly the grand pas de deux, which are fun and exciting to learn—but wouldn’t it make more sense to teach soloist parts, such as the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, which they might have a greater chance of performing early in their careers?

Sarkis Kaltakchian: It is crucial to choose repertoire that fits the abilities of the students. That’s why, for beginning levels, it is important to choreograph small exercises that will benefit the growth of their partnering technique. When the students mature and grow stronger, the instructor can begin to introduce repertory which fits their abilities without having to change the choreography. Each student has different strengths. It is important to choose choreography that will suit the student’s strength, physically and artistically.

Wendy Fish-Lawrence/David Lawrence: We believe in both. The pas should provide challenges appropriate to the level of the dancers’ skills. No matter the pas, the music and the chance to learn actual choreography should be exciting to the students, not frustrating.

Tony Randazzo: Depending on the curriculum and how much time is available, there are advantages to diving into the exciting. That gets students inspired and gives them immediate feedback as to where their skills are lacking or where they have a natural proficiency they didn’t expect. On the other hand, it’s very important to go over all the rudimentary skills; something like the peasant pas is more basic, and that’s a way of building confidence without overwhelming the students and risking injury. Also, it’s not just repertory that is important. There should be exercises that are well balanced on both sides, such as promenades in both directions, on both arms, with women balancing the body on the right and the left. Sometimes choreography is very unilateral, so the students will never learn how to do something on the left in a piece of choreography the way they might in a class exercise. There are advantages to both approaches.

Bo Spassoff: The students definitely want to do the grand pas. The reality, for me anyway, is that you teach bits and pieces of the technique involved in the various pas de deux. Sometimes you might do just 8 to 16 counts of a pas de deux. Teaching a straight pas de deux in a class is very time consuming, especially when there are 15 to 20 couples. Also, it doesn’t serve the cause as well as an understanding of the pieces that go into the puzzle. Certainly we do coach and work on pas de deux for competitions, but the most important thing is individual technique. When it comes to auditions, you will be looked at first and foremost as an individual.

Stephanie Spassoff: The grand pas de deux have been choreographed for more mature artists, people who have spent a good deal of time in class perfecting their craft and their art. As Bo says, there are segments you can pull out that are wonderful teaching tools.

Warren Conover: A grand pas de deux is taught usually to only top-level students. Although all levels are eager to learn a pas de deux, students need a strong technical foundation, as well as physical strength for lifting for the males. Physical strengthening for the guys takes time. Bodies develop at different times of maturity and speeds as well.

What’s your single best piece of advice for men?

Sarkis Kaltakchian: I offer the same advice to men and women: Be open-minded. Listen to your partner; work as a team. Create trust and harmony. That is when the true art of partnering comes to life and two individuals start moving as one.

Wendy Fish-Lawrence/David Lawrence: Learn to see with your hands. Be aware of and ready for anything that may happen to your girl and solve it as seamlessly as possible. Make presenting her and dancing with her the obvious joy and privilege of your life. Her success is your success!

Tony Randazzo: Core stability, core strength. Abdominal and back strength are so important. The whole core stability regime is very important for any young man who wants to become skilled at pas de deux, be capable, and remain injury free.

Warren Conover: When I performed Paul Taylor’s Airs with American Ballet Theatre, Taylor came to a rehearsal. We ran the piece and danced our hearts out. After, Paul said to us, “Come here, sit down; I want to talk with you.” We expected some great technical insight about our dancing, but instead he said, “You need to go out and have lunch together. You are not dancing with each other; you need to get to know each other.” Those words remain fresh in my mind. It was the best advice I ever received.

And the best single piece of advice for women?

Wendy Fish-Lawrence/David Lawrence: Develop your technique, strength, artistry, and musicality as well as you can, and let your partner (or require him to) enhance your beauty.

Tony Randazzo: Just have the best possible technique that you can have, because that’s what you’ll need to dance well with a partner. All the man offers you is greater expression within the technique that you have. He can’t fix your technical flaws. He can’t save you; he can help you only to express more fully what you have mastered on your own.

Bo Spassoff: It’s called “partnering,” not “soloing.” So be conscientious, sensitive, and listen to your partner. It’s a team effort. Yes, there are moments when the female shines more, but in the end it’s for both of you. You have to have a mental and intellectual sensitivity and approach, and then everything else will follow.

Stephanie Spassoff: You have to get your ego out of the way. If you want to look better, or you think, “He’d better make me look good,” that will only trip you up. You have to go into it wanting to express the choreographer’s intent and to bring joy and inspiration to the audience and to the art form. And to make it as comfortable for the poor guy who is schlepping you as you possibly can! You have to go into it with a comfortable, supportive, and loving attitude or it’s going to show in the pas.

Graying heads and nimble feet can be a winning combination

By Debbie Werbrouck

Dance is for everyone. I truly believe that. However, until recently, most people thought of dance education and performance as being only for the young. Maybe that is changing due to the influence of the baby boomers, or maybe it’s an awakening to the idea that the benefits and enjoyment of dance should not end with youth.

The Silverstars, a group of women ages 55 to 80, don’t let their age slow them down. (Photo courtesy Debbie Werbrouck)

I participated in a committee meeting for UNITY, the coalition of dance organizations of which I am co-chair, in which the topic was dance for adults. In this group of dance professionals from across the country, everyone seemed to have a story. One former professional dancer talked about a group of former performers that meets weekly for class. The members frequently bring in guest instructors and rotate teaching duties among themselves as well. Interestingly, their classes were not limited to one form of dance; one week the class might be modern and the next could be Irish. This group does not perform but simply dances for the sheer joy of movement.

The number of stories revealed the good news that there seems to be much more adult dancing happening than the committee members had realized. Those from the private sector talked about offering beginning classes that were geared to adults who had always wanted to dance but had never had the chance. College dance classes and social dance were added to the list of options for adults. Many people have noted a surge of interest in ballroom dance since the airing of dance shows on TV.

I became interested in adult dance classes for several reasons. One of my longtime faculty members had directed a group of senior women dancers at a local YMCA, and I had been thinking of establishing such a group at our school. I had also been reading about the aging population and the benefits of exercise (translation: dance) on overall well-being.

Loneliness or a lack of purpose in older adults can lead to depression. I read about studies of people with depression in which only 25 percent improved when treated with medication alone, while an improvement occurred in 40 percent of those treated with exercise alone and no medication. My reading confirmed that a decrease in flexibility and balance is a major health concern for aging adults, for whom falls and fractures can be debilitating. As dance educators, we know that dance can improve both flexibility and balance, as well as stimulate endorphins to improve mood.

I was intrigued to find a simple test for assessing balance at various ages in the book Age-Defying Fitness by physical therapists Carole B. Lewis and Marilyn Moffat (see “Test Your Balance,” page 62). Using this test, I now do a “before” and “after” comparison on adults who are just starting dance classes. I have found that balance improves, often significantly, after studying dance.

My own encounter with teaching adults began when I was asked to create a half-time performance routine for a group of seniors for a Notre Dame women’s basketball game. The response to my press release was very good: 30 women “auditioned.” Since some had no dancing experience and I had only a short time to complete my task, the tuition-free, weekly classes were largely choreographic sessions. Everyone enjoyed the classes, which often stretched beyond the allotted time.

These fun-loving women ages 55 to 80, the Silverstars, were dedicated to this effort (though I teased them that my 6-year-old students did a better job of not talking in class than they did). And as for me, I discovered that a face alight with sudden comprehension is as exciting on a 60-year-old as on a 6-year-old.

I discovered that a face alight with sudden comprehension is as exciting on a 60-year-old as on a 6-year-old.

On the day of the performance the dancers were overwhelmed by the scale of the venue and the audience of thousands. The performance went well, and it was difficult to say who enjoyed it more, the audience or the dancers. The enthusiasm and excitement of the dancers were heart-warming. One of them, who had had some performance experience, said, “We’re used to performing at nursing homes and sometimes half of our audience is asleep. We had no idea it was going to be like this—we’re ready to do it again!” The response to this one event was so positive that the group is now ongoing, with numerous performances scheduled. I now charge a nominal fee for the classes.

If your school does not offer adult classes, you might want to consider the possibility. For stay-at-home mothers, career women, empty nesters, or widows, dance classes provide camaraderie and mental stimulation. If you already offer classes, you may want to think about variations. Are there performance opportunities for those who want them? Some have no interest in performing, which is fine, but some are reluctant for other reasons. Maybe they are not yet comfortable enough with their abilities to feel confident onstage. Maybe they are intimidated because the only opportunity to perform is at the annual recital with younger, more accomplished dancers. Maybe they are uncomfortable wearing dance attire. And sometimes they simply need time to warm up to the idea.

The following suggestions will get your adult classes off to a good start.

• If you decide to offer performance opportunities, choose small, welcoming venues such as retirement centers or club meetings. It’s usually easier to start small and work up to larger venues.
• Keep attire simple and appropriate, in class as well as for performances. Walking into a class in leotards and tights is probably more than most adults are willing to do. Don’t scare them away with dress requirements. Keep performance “costumes” simple and age appropriate.
• If possible, separate age groups. There is a difference between a 20- to 40-year-old group and a 50-plus group, just as there is between 8- to 10-year-olds and 15- to 18-year-olds.
• Don’t limit class options to tap, jazz, and ballet. I was surprised a few years ago when my school began getting calls from adults asking for hip-hop classes. These 20- to 35-year-olds understandably didn’t want to be in class with 13-year-olds. This class has been on our schedule for some time now.
• Safety is important for all students, regardless of age, but it should be in the forefront of classes for seniors. Require that they wear the correct shoes for the type of dance they will be doing; beginners are notorious for trying to get by with bedroom-slipper–type shoes for ballet or athletic shoes for jazz. Let them know which shoes are required and where they can purchase them.
• Expect absences. Adults juggle many activities and often sacrifice their own personal time to accommodate their loved ones. Encourage them to make time for themselves, but support them when absences occur, especially if they have trouble catching up to the others in class. It is easy for them to feel left behind.
• Make the classes lighthearted and fun. Acknowledge the students’ progress in understanding theory and terminology, remembering and performing combinations, and holding onto rhythm. They will focus less on areas that are more challenging to them, like flexibility.
• Let adults try your classes before enrolling. Announce an adult sampler day and present 20-minute samples of the classes your school offers. Make the class simple and fun so that all of the students can be successful with the material presented.
• Start by informing the parents of your students about the adult classes, and branch out to the public from there.

Adult classes provide benefits for your school as well as the students. With these classes, you are not only providing a service to a new population; you are also showing younger students that dance is a lifelong activity that can be enjoyed at any age.

Test Your Balance 

The following is excerpted by permission from Age-Defying Fitness: Making the Most of Your Body for the Rest of Your Life (Peachtree Publishers), Chapter One (“Assessing Your Body”) by Marilyn Moffat, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, and Carole B. Lewis, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA. For more information and tests, see www.agedefyingfitness.com.

Test 3: Balance
To do this test you will either need to hold a stopwatch or have another person time you. Caution: Be sure there is a counter or piece of furniture near enough to reach to steady yourself if necessary, or ask a friend to spot you to ensure your safety while performing this test.

1. Stand up straight, wearing sneakers or other flat shoes. Place your arms across your chest. Raise one leg off the floor, start the stopwatch, and close your eyes.

2. Remain standing on one leg. Stop the watch if you uncross your arms, tilt your trunk to either side more than 45 degrees, move your stationary leg, or touch your raised leg to the floor.

3. Repeat the test standing on the other leg.

Result
Time able to stand on right leg with eyes closed: ________ *

Time able to stand on left leg with eyes closed: _________ *

If you cannot stand with your eyes closed for at least 5 seconds on each side, read chapter 5 on balance. If you are able to stand for 5 seconds or more, take the additional tests in chapter 5 to check for other possible balance problems.

Balance is an area of physical fitness that is often overlooked. When our clients and patients work on this area, they get fast, effective results. One of us developed a program for a woman who loved to travel, was increasingly afraid of falling, and had very limited time to exercise. She was given two exercises to be done three times a week for eight weeks. After two months, she received a perfect balance score.

* In her story “Preserving a Fundamental Sense: Balance” in The New York Times (January 8, 2008), writer Jane E. Brody cites these expected norms for Moffat and Lewis’ balance test:

• 20–49 years old: 24–28 seconds
• 50–59 years: 21 seconds
• 60–69 years: 10 seconds
• 70–79 years: 4 seconds
• 80 and older: Most cannot do it at all.

 Help young imaginations take flight with improvisation

By Nancy Wozny

You’re in the middle of a performance or a long combination in class when suddenly you can’t remember which step comes next. What do you do? You can stand there and look befuddled, or you can make up the next step. Improvisation—the art of making up a step on the spur of the moment—has a place in the classroom, on the stage, and in the creative process. All across the dance landscape, teachers use improvisation to help dancers learn to think on their feet, be inventive, and investigate their own movement qualities.

Saint Joseph Ballet students Thalia Rojano, Miriam Quintanilla, and Fernando Sosa, here in rehearsals for Scott Wells’ Tumblefish, benefit from the improvisational exercises teacher Mary Herzog gives in her classes. (Photo courtesy Cori Miller)

“Show me something I’ve never seen before,” commands Mary Herzog, who teaches modern dance in a program for low-income children at St. Joseph Ballet in Santa Ana, CA. Herzog includes improvisation in her classes from day one. Recently she posed the simple question, “What is improvisation?” to her students. One girl replied, “It’s what you do when the dance is over and the music keeps going.”

That wasn’t the answer Herzog was looking for, but after thinking about it she realized it was spot-on. “She nailed it. Isn’t that exactly what it’s about?” says Herzog. “Being able to do something when no one gave you something to do. That’s part of the process. If you want to perform you have to learn to improvise.”

Herzog likes to give her students choices, which she calls movement problems. For example, a simple across-the-floor pattern can become a time to come up with new ideas. “I have them go across the floor with three points touching—it could be a knee, one foot, and one hand,” she says. “Narrowing the problem down makes it fun, and they begin to see their bodies as capable of being in new places.”

Herzog notices that her students are willing to push themselves harder and take more risks when they are in charge. “Improvisation helps them access their natural desire to move. My job is to tame it and put it into a form,” she says. “Students can get bound up in technique class, where there are so many things to remember. It’s important for children to understand that the movement they are learning can come into their bodies and be made their own.”

For Herzog, improvisation completes the loop between expression going in and coming out. She uses games to get the ball rolling, quite literally, in an activity called “pass the energy ball.” Students throw an imaginary ball to each other, revealing a certain quality of weight or energy. The catcher needs to receive the ball with the same energy that it was thrown with, then transform it into another quality. So a heavy ball might turn into a feather. She finds that this activity makes a great icebreaker, especially for boys who like to throw things and use an aggressive form of energy. She has developed her ball game into a piece of choreography to present at parent showings.

“Allowing children to contribute to the class compositions gives them the juice to keep sweating in the studio,” says Herzog. “Let the kids own it. That way you grow their confidence along with their technique. In addition, there’s lots of relevance to public speaking, problem solving, or anytime you don’t know what comes next.”

Jhon Stronks makes up what comes next when he teaches modern and jazz classes at Houston [TX] Metropolitan Dance Center. He also directs Met Too, the school’s pre-professional company. Stronks, a native of Fresno, CA, received his BFA from California State University at Long Beach and danced in several professional companies before settling in Texas. As a choreographer and teacher, he makes improvisation a daily part of his classes and creative process.

According to Stronks, improvisation in small doses works best and makes an excellent technical teaching tool. “If we are learning about glissades, my students need to understand the form of a glissade. I have them experiment with as many ways to close their leg as possible,” says Stronks. “I can find out quickly how well they understand a technical concept by these little experiments.” He uses observation as well. For example, splitting the students into two groups to watch each other allows for both visual and physical learning. Stronks peppers his intermediate and advanced modern and jazz classes with mini-explorations that help drive home a technical point. “Because what I am asking is so specific and structured, it makes a good entry point for improvisation,” says Stronks. “It takes a while for them to get used to it; they are used to being told exactly what to do.”

 Stronks trains his dancers to pick up material quickly by giving long combinations in his technique classes. He sees a link between the quick learning that’s done in a complicated combination and the creativity involved in improvisation. His hefty combinations, he believes, are a side door to getting students to feel comfortable with the improvisation process. “Trying to remember what comes next in a long combination is improvisation,” he says. “It’s an important skill if they plan to go on to dance professionally. Getting students comfortable with the gaps in memory really helps connect the dots.” He urges his students to “fake it until they make it.”

He also uses improvisation as a choreographic tool; but again, a workable structure is important. “I might take a shape, like an extension to the front—the shape is a given, but what can be changed in terms of level, weight, and space?” He created a dance for Met Too that is a structured improvisation. “I use a simple score, which is like a set of instructions that the dancers have to follow,” says Stronks. “There’s an incredible amount of discipline that goes into improvisation when using a score. Having some designated rules actually provides a road map and makes it easier.”

But Stronks also thinks that dancers should be able to make up their own moves with no limitations. Both kinds of improvisation are necessary to truly understand the process, he says. “It’s not always about following a set structure; sometimes it’s about being able to let go of what’s coming out of the body without judgment.”

For 22-year-old Cori Miller, improvisation is about getting into the flow of the dance and knowing yourself as a mover. Miller, a senior BFA candidate at University of Texas, has been dancing since she was 7 years old. She attended Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where “we had to improvise a bit in composition class in high school, but not very often,” she says. “It was an uncomfortable experience for me at first. I was so self-conscious and easily intimidated. I remember doing it halfway. I just didn’t know enough about how my own body moved.”

At her local jazz studio, she remembers being told to “go wild for 8 counts” during a set phrase. As much as she didn’t cherish those do-your-own-thing moments, she was glad she had experienced them when she auditioned for the college dance program. “I had to improvise across the floor,” she says. “I got through it, but I wished I had had more exposure to improvisation.”

Miller moved deeply into improvisation at the American Dance Festival while working on the improv-based Forsythe Project with former Forsythe dancer Richard Seigal. Excited to learn the improvisational techniques of one of the world’s leading contemporary choreographers, Miller was game to try some new approaches. “He presented some great tools to get started,” she says. “My favorite involves imagining that you are in a specific place, and the kind of movement you might do in that space. You are manipulating an imaginary place.”

Working this way to develop choreography brought Miller’s confidence in improvisation to a new level. “There is no choreography without improvisation. It’s the building block; you simply have to make it up.” She is convinced that improvisation was also key in going deeper into her own distinct qualities of movement. “I found my vocabulary and what style works best for me,” she says. “I found my language.”

In addition to going to school, Miller now teaches modern and jazz dance to 6- to 10-year-olds in Austin, TX, and finds that the methods she learned at ADF can be easily transferred to the classroom. “[Improvisation is] a great teaching tool, and the kids have so much fun,” she says. This fall she heads to New York City to audition for professional companies, a step she feels ready to take largely because of her fluidity in improvisation. She is especially interested in a dance position where she contributes to the final product. She adds, “I am all about the creative process.”

“Improvisation gives a voice to our feet,” says tap teacher Tori Crombie, owner of Toriography Dance Center in Vernon, CT. She introduces improvisation to her tap students as early as possible. “The sooner the better. By the time they are teens they are already too self-conscious and critical. I begin introducing improv about age 6 with the ‘echo.’ We stand in a circle and I improv an easy rhythm, which they repeat. I then ask for volunteers, who create a short rhythm that we repeat back. I will also have the younger ones pick someone from across the circle—they must improv traveling steps over to them and take their spot, and that person must echo back the rhythm to their spot.

“These little games give them confidence, and they feel they are doing something by themselves,” Crombie continues. “It is important, even at the young ages, that they learn the basics but also that they are using the vocabulary and putting the steps to use. It’s like learning a foreign language—you can teach the vocabulary, but if you don’t teach how to use the language and communicate, what use is it?”

Crombie’s 9- to 12-year-olds especially enjoy the “phone number” exercise. “I will list numbers 0 through 9 on the board, and next to each number is a tap step. The dancers use their own phone numbers to create a phrase,” the teacher explains. Later she makes it more complicated by altering the tempo and dynamics.

With older students Crombie plays a game in which she creates 8 counts, and then the next person repeats the teacher’s 8 counts and adds 8 of her own. Then the next person repeats the last 8 and improvises another 8, and so on. The repeated steps provide a jumping-off point for the students to create their own phrases. As the older dancers become more comfortable with the process, Crombie introduces polyrhythmic and counterpoint exercises with a partner. “One person will begin by setting the tempo and beginning their phrasing. The other person will then begin their own dance, but it must complement what the other person is doing,” she says. “The blend of the two rhythms can create such incredible music and a unique marriage between the two dancers sharing the rhythms.”

Crombie encourages her school’s modern and jazz dance teachers to use improvisation in their classes. She also uses improvisation in developing choreography for recitals and competitions. “I will give the dancers a phrase and ask them what naturally feels like it would come next,” she says. “It allows them to give me some thoughts and ideas, and they feel more like they are a part of the process.” She plans to enter an improvisation solo, which will include a drummer, in a competition for the first time next season. “I think it would be amazing for competitions to have an improvisation category,” she says.

Crombie notes that tap dance, like jazz, largely developed through an improvisational process. “I was lucky to be introduced to improvisational techniques at an early age,” she says. “I would have sunk without that training in the tap world. And it’s such an important skill in the professional arena.” She notices a big difference in her students when they are given consistent training in improvisation. “The change is unbelievable; it takes away limits and builds self-esteem. Dance technique is about learning all these tools; now what are you going to do with them? That’s improvisation.

Dance teachers share their great ideas for the classroom and the office

 Too often we hear about the competition between dance teachers or school owners. But with all the great ideas out there, we’d all be better off (and so would our students) if we shared our collective wisdom instead of keeping it to ourselves. Take advantage of your fellow teachers’ generosity in sharing these successful practices—you just might find that a few of them fit you and your school perfectly.

Communication and Awareness

“Bring Your Dad to Dance” Week
All students are invited to bring their dads (or uncles, brothers, grandpas—it just has to be a male so that the other dads aren’t embarrassed to be there) to class with them. The dads do part of the class with us (warm-up and stretching), observe what their students are working on, and then learn a daddy/student dance. The students love showing their dads what they do and sharing this aspect of their lives with them. I knew the students would love it, but what surprised me is how much the dads do. I always get so many positive responses after class and have received countless cards, letter, and emails thanking me for allowing them to be involved in their children’s lives this way.

This is our third year for this program, and it has become my favorite week of the year. It is a great tool to educate dads about our program. Many times it is just the moms who come to parent visitation week. Even though the dads are involved in the decision about whether their children should continue their dance education, most of them have little information; they have little idea of what goes on in class and often just see all the checks written to the studio. —Angela Schneider, Encore School of Dance and Gymnastics, Aurora, NE

Parent conferences and progress reports
I have done parent conferences ever since I opened my school six years ago. I was an elementary school teacher before I opened my dance school; if parents and teachers need to communicate on a student’s progress, attitude, and personal growth in the academic setting, why should dance class be any different?

These conferences are a great opportunity to make personal contact with the parents and concentrate your attention (even for only 15 minutes) on each child. As dance teachers we rarely have time to speak with parents, and when we do, often it is when there is a behavior issue or a parent corners us unexpectedly. So this dedicated time for the parents has been very good for my studio.

During one week of classes in January the students stay home and the parents come in. I put signup sheets on the bulletin board a couple of weeks beforehand and let the parents schedule time slots every 10 to 15 minutes. I offer some slots in the morning for nonworking parents; the rest are held all afternoon. I ask the teachers to write a couple of notes on each child—at least one positive comment and one suggested area of improvement. It is interesting to see how each student works and behaves for each teacher.

I always start by asking the parents how their children like dance so far. I then speak of my personal experience with their children and review the teachers’ notes. After the conference, the parents are asked to review the notes with their children and let them know how proud we are of them for what they are doing well and what we want them to work on. Many times the relationships between parent and teacher and student and teacher improve because everyone knows where everyone stands.

This year I added a progress report for my competition students only. The reports went out to the families in November, and we followed up on them with the January conferences. I wanted to show the parents that we would hold the students accountable for what’s expected of them. —Beth Fagan, Main Street Dance, Hammond, LA

Personal postcards
I designed postcards with our school logo and had 1,000 of them printed very inexpensively. Each week I send postcards to 10 students, with a quick note from me to make them feel special. I always do it if something negative happened or if they weren’t smiling in class. I am still refining this system to make sure that everyone gets a couple each year. It’s a “feel good” practice that encourages student retention. —Angela Schneider, Encore School of Dance and Gymnastics, Aurora, NE

Business Practices

Dealing with small classes
When do you cancel a class because of low enrollment? If there are only three or four kids in a class, combine two classes. In small classes the energy is low, and you’re working twice as hard. Big classes can be good—the energy is usually high. However, if you keep a class of three or four students going through the season, you’ve usually locked them in, so it’s successful in the long run (even though you’ll lose money in the short run). —Rennie Gold, The Gold School, Brockton, MA

Advertising advice
Run ads even if you don’t need more enrollment—you need to keep your school’s name out there. Also, put something in the ads that creates a sense of urgency—make people feel they need to enroll now! For example, say that classes are closed or there’s a waiting list. —Rhee Gold, publisher, Dance Studio Life

Student Interaction

Classroom dance buddies
Give second- to fifth-grade dancers a buddy to go across the floor with. Buddies help each other remember the rules and etiquette, and kids love to show somebody else how good they are. Let them clap for each other. Also let them make up combinations for their buddies to try.

This also helps when you have different levels in a class. The kids who need to be challenged more can come up with or be guided to more difficult combinations, while dancers who need to work on technique can practice that. That way the whole class is not watching them and they have the support of their buddies. Try changing buddies frequently or pairing a weak dancer with a stronger one. The instructor or instructor’s assistant can work as a buddy as well. —Colleen Rudnicki, Dancin’ Feet Dance School, Andover, MN

Peer corrections
For cleaning competition choreography, I partner up the kids and have them watch each other to note areas that need improvement, as well as areas they are excelling in. It’s amazing to hear the detailed critiques they give one another, and it avoids me having to sound like a broken record. Sometimes having another voice give the correction to a student can make a difference. It’s also a self-esteem boost to get a compliment from a peer. —Rhiana Hoffman, Starz Dance Studio, Becker, MN

In the Classroom

Favor the “bad” side
Years ago I had a left-handed dance teacher. She taught everything from the left side first, and I noticed that my “bad” side became much stronger. I use that method today in all my classes, from age 3 to adult. By learning the movement on the less-coordinated side, the students must concentrate harder and make more effort in order to master the movement. The end result is a well-rounded dancer who does not have an obvious weak side. —Suzanne Goodman, Easley Dance Conservatory, Easley, SC

Recycle lesson plans
Keep detailed lesson plans for each age level and save them from year to year. Referring to them can be a great refresher when you need to spice up your classes—that creative movement game you created in 1999 (and forgot about) might be just the ticket for your current class. —Rhiana Hoffman, Starz Dance Studio, Becker, MN

Teaching vs. demonstrating
When teachers demonstrate combinations and then continue to do them with the students, the students are not challenged to remember the steps. I prefer to demonstrate a few times and then ask the students to do the combination for me while I watch. I will help them by calling out the steps or dancing a small portion with them if necessary. But after several attempts I’ll ask them to do it without my prompting.

When it’s time to dance to music, I sing the rhythm of the song before they dance the steps. That aids the dancers in staying together and with the music. —Linda Kalnen, South East Dance Academy, Wilmington, NC

Teaching the shim sham
In teaching a basic shim sham (no break), this nursery rhyme makes learning the step easy: “This old man, he played one, he played knick-knack on my thumb.” It mimics the actual terminology of shuffle step, shuffle step, shuffle step step, shuffle step. —Audrey Dascomb, Dance Expressions Unlimited, Tyngsboro, MA

Working With Young Students

Squaring off
For young students who are learning to keep their “ballet square,” I stick brightly colored circles onto their leotard, at the hip bones and shoulders. The students get a big kick out of correcting their own placement while looking in the mirror. —Erin Thompson Messenger, Erin Messenger School of Dance, New Liskeard, ON, Canada

Welcome rhyme for Tiny Tots
We do a welcome rhyme before our Tiny Tot classes. It is a wonderful learning tool in so many aspects, from participation to feeling important to learning names and patterns. We sit in a circle and the instructor leads all the dancers in patting their legs and repeating the rhyme for each dancer’s name. For example:

“Aubrey’s here today” (pat legs three times, once for each word),

(repeat) “Aubrey’s here today” (pat legs three times, once for each word),

“Aubrey’s here at dance today” (roll hands in front of you),

“Hip” (one hand on hip),

“Hip” (other hand on hip),

“Hooray!” (both hands up overhead).

As long as you keep all the children involved and keep the pace moving, they love it! —Colleen Rudnicki, Dancin’ Feet Dance School, Andover, MN

Technique pointers
As a fun way to help young students correctly rotate their legs in second position, I tell them they have a little light on their heel, just under their anklebone, which has to shine to the front to light our way. Then we do tendus to the side singing, “This Little Light of Mine.”

To help 8- to 9-year-olds become mindful of always pointing their feet, we do a silly game in which the children march around the room and the assistant teachers give out “tickets” to the unpointed feet. This age group finds the game amusing, and it still brings their attention to correct technique. —Nancy Whyte, Nancy Whyte School of Ballet, Bellingham, WA

In Performance

Recital-season refreshers
At recital time, we find that our young (3- to 5-year-old) dancers become distracted by the signs of spring. They have been working on their recital routines for a while, so they are sometimes bored. Consequently, we have developed Big Buddy/Little Buddy routines for our recital. We invite a class of older students (usually over age 10) to come to the preschool class and learn these routines. They are short and simple but add the needed simulation for this time of year. The little ones idolize their big buddies and the older students feel special. Because of this one-on-one attention, we are able to introduce the preschool dancers to new steps late in the season. It is also a good introductory lesson for the older children on how to interact and help teach. Often our student assistants grow out of this exposure. And the parents are thrilled because all these children get onstage one more time in our recital. —Wendy Holmquist, Dance Dynamics Studio, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

Dynamic choreography
Keep the dancers constantly moving and the choreography constantly changing. Make the audiences work! Their heads should be moving constantly as things draw their eye. —Joe Tremaine, Joe Tremaine Dance Center, Los Angeles, CA

Do you have a teaching- or business-related idea that you’d like to share with other teachers and school owners? Send it to Jeff Warzecha at jeff@rheegold.com or to Dance Studio Life, 10 South Washington St., Norton, MA 02766. Write “Collective Wisdom” in the subject line of your email or on the top of your letter, and be sure to include your name, phone number, and email address, plus your school’s name and address.

Forget the Gregorian calendar—here’s one for dance teachers!

By Diane Gudat

For dance teachers, enduring a year feels like being stuck on a warped carousel. Through the ups and downs, there is no way to keep it from spinning or to slow it down. For the most part, the ride is fun and exciting—you never know what is around the next turn. But since dance teachers do not live the same kind of life as people in other professions, why should we adhere to the same calendar? I’ve devised one with a more realistic view of our year, plus some suggestions to make it more suited for our nontraditional needs.

September/Acceptember
We will begin our calendar in September, when the dance year begins both fiscally and emotionally. However, we will call it “Acceptember” because during this month parents must accept our decisions about their children’s class placement.

This would be a great time to purchase frames for your teaching certificates and resume so that you can create a display that proves you are an educated professional. Consider placing a lovely photo album in the lobby that shows you hugging the hundreds of happy children who have attended classes at your studio for years. You might also display some of the thank-you letters you’ve received from appreciative parents who think you are the “best dance teacher ever!”

October/Deca-recovery
October begins with the root “Oct,” which means “eight.” I am not sure why it is traditionally the 10th month of the year, but since most dance teachers have lost the ability to count past the number eight, it is not a problem. The name of the month ends with the last four letters of the word “sober.” This is the month by which we have finally recovered from summer trips or must consider going into rehab. If the month must be renamed, it should probably be called “Deca-recovery.”

November/No-way-ber
At this point in the year, we feel that there is no way we will ever successfully complete the holiday show. One of the biggest problems is getting students to attend class regularly.

Notice that the word “dance” appears in “attendance.” This word was created by a dance master in ancient Rome who was responsible for the Winter Solstice Festival and would find his head on a stick if it was not spectacular.

December/Decem-blur
The root words of “December” are “deception” and “remember.”

Most people can fool themselves into thinking that the holiday season is easy. But dance teachers know better than to practice the art of self-deception at this time of year; we juggle so many more details that the entire month is a blur. While others are leisurely trimming trees, we are dragging students to the mall and local nursing homes. While they are contemplating the perfect gifts for everyone, we are contemplating what we are going to do for recital and what everyone will wear. Instead of “gift of the month” catalogs, we are studying costume catalogs. Instead of reserving a hotel room for the winter break, we are trying to get someone from our performance venue to return a call. Lists of competitions and unfinished solos replace gift lists.

I know the Gregorian calendar was set up for only 12 months, but was this Greg a dance teacher? I think not!

Most of us cannot imagine this month going by without attending at least one Nutcracker performance. Whether Clara falls asleep on the couch, floor, or overstuffed chair, I envy her the rest. During the second act, which she spends sitting on a throne, I wonder when was the last time I sat still for one full hour without a headset on.

I am sure that my December is very different from the one experienced by the relatives I sit next to at Christmas dinner. Heaven help me if they try to discuss current events—mine are confined to the four walls of the dance studio and its inhabitants.

Breathurary
The dance teacher’s calendar adds an extra month here called “Breathurary.” This would be a dream come true! Those of us with Christmas trees still up at the end of January, holiday costumes in our cars, and teachers who cannot or should not return this semester need an extra month right now. Having more time to send in costume orders (and for the companies to make them) would change our lives. We have so much music to prepare, and our performance groups are nowhere near ready for competition. Thirty days here would change our lives. Let’s face it—even 10 extra minutes would make a difference.

January/Janu-where-did-my-vacation-go
If the dance studio were a paper shredder, by the end of this month we would feel like we had been sliced into a thousand tiny pieces. Costume company discounts usually expire on the 15th of this month; so, like during tax season for the average person, most of us file a late return on costume orders. We wonder what happened to the holiday vacation and how long the neighbors will tolerate seeing Christmas lights on our house.

February/Feb-return-your-forms
Let us dedicate this month to having parents and students remember to bring forms—whether for costumes, competitions, or anything else—back on time. Most of us have perfected the arts of tackling parents in the lobby and chasing down cars in the parking lot. As I often point out, “deadline” has the word “dead” in it. We have all cheated death more than once while flagging down parents in the parking lot to get their signatures.

March
March is the perfect name for this month. We are marching toward recital and we need parents to march their children into class every week so we can teach them their recital dances. It is maddening to try to choreograph with at least one child missing from every class every week. This is the month when dancers need to recommit to class—and it is also the time of year when spring sports begin, school musicals are presented, and dance class seems to take a back seat to other activities. We dance teachers need to march to the mall and buy ourselves a little “you can do it” present to get us through.

April/Ape-real
This is the month when high-school seniors become maniacs (if they aren’t already). In order to leave the nest for college (the dance studio is often more of a nest than the home), these children work under the misconception that if they behave like apes and make everyone dislike them, they will be able to leave for college comfortably. They also believe that every move they make will be the last of its kind, so they suddenly care deeply about every high-school function. That means they are never at rehearsal, even though they are featured in every dance routine. As for their parents, they begin crying at the drop of a hat and taking pictures of their children as if they were newborns.

All this will pass, and by Thanksgiving break those students will be back for a visit and you will see that they are the same lovely humans you remember helping to raise.

May/Maybe-I-will-get-a-new-career
Most of us love what we do and cannot imagine doing anything else, but during this month we have had it! Some of us are able to hold recitals during this month, while the rest of us are in full panic mode. As we drive to the studio, we pass people coming home from work and try to imagine dinner at home and a non-TiVo television show. On Saturdays we gaze enviously at people in their yards as we head for a full day of rehearsals. This is a year-round problem that becomes more pointed when the weather starts to change. Schedule lunch with another dance teacher and tell each other how valuable you are.

June/Jungle
The word “jungle” contains all the letters you need to spell June—this is no coincidence. The best we can hope for is that we survive and get a few good recital gifts. And on that note, we need to get parents to understand that gift cards to music stores are never what we need; we use our business accounts to buy music for class and choreography. And we do not listen to music for enjoyment; what we want is quiet—peace and blessed quiet! We need a good meal and some liquid comfort, so we suggest gift cards for restaurants. Or for department stores—if June is not our recital month, then it is wedding/graduation month and we can use the cards to buy presents for these never-ending events.

July/Just-lie-down
No cards! No phone calls! If we are traveling with you, stay out of our room! Do not be surprised or hurt if when traveling we choose to have dinner or an evening out with a fellow dance teacher. In fact, students, do your research and send your teacher a gift card for a five-star restaurant close to the competition hotel. Or, better yet, one to the hotel spa!

August/I-guessed (my charge card would max out)
What we need at this time of year is for parents to pay that first-semester bill in full—with cash. Most of us do not get paid during July and August, yet those are the months when we tend to spend the most money. The bills from the convention hotel, meals, show tickets, formals, shoes, and souvenirs begin to arrive and we do our best to pay the minimum balance on the cards. Our line of credit is sweating bullets and our significant other has given us yet another lecture on responsible spending.

Organizember
Let’s add another new month here. I know the Gregorian calendar was set up for only 12 months, but was this Greg a dance teacher? I think not! We need at least 30 days to make heads and tails of the schedule, figure out who is teaching what, and get the studio in shape to handle the new dance year.

A new calendar might not solve any problems, but it would certainly shed light on how different a dance teacher’s life can sometimes feel from a “normal” person’s. Adding two extra months should help—but as long as we are wishing, let’s add an extra day between Saturday and Sunday plus a 25th hour in each day. That ought to do it!        

A male teacher’s guide to the fine art of teaching boys to dance

By Gregg Russell

It’s a common complaint among studio owners: Not enough boys take dance. There’s a reason for that, since often in our society young guys are harassed for taking dance.

Boys from Seattle’s Eastgate Elementary enjoy a chance to get onstage through Discover Dance, a performance partnership between Pacific Northwest Ballet and community schools. ( Photo by John Austin)

As a child growing up in the small town of Wooster, OH, I remember keeping the fact that I danced a secret from the kids at school. Every Tuesday and Thursday my mom would pick me up from school and take me to dance class. When one of my friends asked, “Where do you go after school?” I mumbled with a guarded look, “Somewhere.” Even today, with numerous dance shows on TV, when dancing is cooler than it ever has been (but it had better be hip-hop), many boys are ashamed to admit that they dance.  

So getting boys into the dance studio can be a big accomplishment. But what do you do with them once they get there? How do you keep them engaged and motivated? There’s no magical answer. But I do have some ideas and insights about making dance more user friendly to boys that have worked for me in my 23 years of teaching guys of all ages in all kinds of styles.

First, there are some easy, common-practice ways to benefit boys around the studio. Many owners discount classes for boys; a few even offer them for free. Trading off classes for cleaning and doing chores is also very popular. Another method is having a boy as a teacher’s assistant. I find that when I have a guy assisting me, the girls in the class pay more attention and dance with more energy. Regardless of the reason behind their behavior—like wanting to impress a cute guy—what dance teacher would not want to see that in class every week?

One of the trickiest things I have learned is how to critique or compliment young male dancers. Sometimes I catch myself being too hard on them, but on the flip side, I have witnessed many female teachers coddling them and boosting superficial egos. Ultimately this protective behavior hurts the boys in terms of their artistic growth and work ethic. The best approach is to be real but also remember that, unlike most girls, boys have to overcome personal and social obstacles to get to class. This will allow them to succeed and take pride in their progress.

For example, I was teaching a recreational teenage hip-hop class that had a few boys in it. One guy was having problems with a certain step and getting frustrated. The more I tried to help him, the more frustrated he became, and soon he stopped asserting himself. The next week we continued learning that step, with the same results. So I used a different approach. I told him that I was impressed with his persistence in the previous week’s class, along with the energy he showed in the warm-up that day. He looked at me with bewilderment, unsure of how to take the compliment. I then told him that he was on the right track to getting the step but that he needed to be patient. I told him that it took me five years to get splits, but I can still do them because I took my time and did it the right way. Then—and this is the most important part—I let him be.

Even today, with numerous dance shows on TV, when dancing is cooler than it ever has been, many boys are ashamed to admit that they dance.

I don’t mean to sound stereotypical, but guys don’t like to be told what to do. You can show them the path, but they need the freedom to figure it out on their own. It would be a great Disney ending to say that the kid nailed the step that week, but that didn’t happen. But now he comes to class each week with tons of energy and excited to dance. Even his mom has commented on how he looks forward to class and always comes home talking about it.

Something as simple as the name of a class is important too. Avoid calling a class for younger guys “Boys’ Jazz” or “Boys’ Ballet.” Simply calling it “Boys’ Class” allows you to work on any form of dance—plus, you are not labeling the guys. I recall how in one month I taught a group of young boys how to do Russian jumps, tours, step ball change, handstands, and even a break-dancing six step. Their dance for the recital was a breeze to choreograph because each boy took to different steps. As those boys got older, I suggested which form of dance each would excel at. Surprisingly, several years later six of the nine guys are still dancing.

The sports-oriented steps I taught in that class emphasized athleticism. Boys will take pride in their class if it stands out as unconventional. Have them run laps around the studio (including the waiting area) to warm up. Do jumping drills, where you can measure their height and progress, along with many push-ups and crunches. These are exercises that allow boys to move like boys, even in a class taught by a female teacher.

One of my favorite things to do in a boys’ class is to set up an obstacle course with four to six stations that include stretches and splits, jumps and turns, an acrobatic trick, hip-hop or break dancing, and, always, something they improvise. I am consistently surprised at how committed to this exercise the guys are. In fact, by the end of the year, they usually ask to make up their own course and steps. Talk about time consuming—sometimes the course takes up the whole class, but I love it when time zooms by during a long, busy night.

Many dance teachers are at a loss about how to include boys in their choreography. I understand that it seems awkward when you see a lone boy in the third line, on the side, in a big production number; it makes more sense visually to place him in the middle. It’s important, though, to be careful about rewarding boys merely because they are boys. Generally, boys have fewer inhibitions onstage and perform strongly. But throw in some attitude or a bad work ethic, and they don’t deserve that spot.

I try to create different challenges and goals for boys and girls, so that where they stand during the dance is earned rather than given. With young classes, give the students a timetable for learning certain steps and then judge them on their progress. That creates an even playing field, regardless of whether they are boys or girls. If a boy is not up to par, then create a moment for him that emphasizes his strength—but don’t place him center stage for the whole dance.

With older boys I have found that honesty is the best approach. If they are not cutting it, pull them aside and let them know what’s going on. I have had male students request private lessons just so they could get caught up and earn their spot in the recital choreography.

There is no proven method for teaching boys except being aware of and present for each individual guy. Model that sensitivity to young girls who are sometimes jealous of the added attention paid to boys. Encourage them to treat the boys like part of the group. Remind them that when they were little, it was cute for them to trot off to class with their dance bags and tights, but unfortunately, guys don’t share that experience. For boys, the path to dance class has more obstacles. Wait a second—maybe that is why they like those obstacle courses!

Desk staffers are a necessity, not a luxury, in any dance school

By Debbie Werbrouck

You’ve invested the morning planning lessons and creating choreography. You’ve spent the afternoon searching for the perfect sequins to accent a set of costumes. Now you’re headed into class, ready to give your students your all—but the phone is ringing and a parent wants to schedule a makeup class. While you’re grabbing the phone, pulling out your planner, and glancing anxiously toward your waiting class, another parent brings in an overdue payment and a student dashes in saying that her baby sister put her doll down the toilet. You drop everything and head to the bathroom, where water is flowing across the restroom floor.

Does this sound like a typical day in your life? If the answer is yes, then you need help. Whether you supervise a faculty of dozens or are a one-person operation, having front desk staff is a necessity, not a luxury.

The benefits
A receptionist gives your school a professional look and feel. More important, having one frees you to focus on teaching and the big-picture aspects of running a school. Even if you handle all your own bookwork, having someone else take payments, answer the phone, and register students allows you to concentrate on your classes. Plus, that person provides a buffer between you and your clients. You can work on Susie’s glissades while your staff person explains why students are required to be at rehearsals or goes over payment records with a mother who is sure she paid for last month’s classes.

Think about it: You won’t be the “bad guy” by saying no to a request for an extension on tuition payments—that’s your desk staff’s responsibility. Instead, you will be the lovable teacher who gives wonderful benefits to your students. You will no longer have to deal with an irate parent immediately before you have to be at your best for a class of 12 preschoolers; instead, your buffer person will explain that you are in class—but she would love to help, or perhaps she could take a message? And if the issue at hand is something that you do have to handle personally, at least you’ll have fair warning and enough time to gather your facts and thoughts.

Hiring hints
Where do you find these guardian angels? Right in your own backyard, because you will hire and train them yourself. But don’t fall into the common trap of hiring mothers of current students for these positions. To avoid potential conflicts of interest, hiring someone who has no vested interest in or connection to the school is best.

So how do you find suitable prospects? Running a classified ad and posting flyers at local colleges and business schools are good options. And don’t forget networking. Maybe you’re acquainted with someone at a bank, office, or store whose attitude and work ethic impress you. You could lay the groundwork for a possible future working relationship by talking shop together. Then, when you’re ready to hire someone, let that person know that the job is open and hand over your business card. If he or she is interested, you’ll get a call, at which point you can issue an invitation to visit your school to learn more about it.

Once potential applicants have responded to your job posting, the next step is to filter through them. The best way is to have them fill out an application. Carefully review the applications to choose the most qualified candidates and then follow up with interviews with your top choices. Another method is to ask applicants for a resume in lieu of filling out a job application; however, not everyone has a resume, and it’s best not to limit the pool of qualified applicants by requiring one.

A receptionist gives your school a professional look and feel. More important, having one frees you to focus on teaching and the big-picture aspects of running a school.

Do follow through on checking information and references. It’s not uncommon for people to “enhance” their job histories. Ask current or former employers if they would hire the person again and whether they observed the personal and professional qualities and skills you’re looking for.

The interview
Bookstore shelves are filled with ideas for techniques that can be used in the interview process. The front desk position at your school probably requires fewer technical skills than are needed in some businesses, but do think about which kinds of experience you need. Handling money? Phone skills? Working with adults and children? Technical skills such as computer use, typing speed and accuracy, or spreadsheet experience? (Make sure to verify these skills with the candidate’s references.)

The interview should include a detailed job description. Don’t surprise employees with duties they didn’t expect, such as emptying wastepaper baskets or wiping fingerprints off windows and doors.

Several personality traits are essential in a school environment. Good candidates will be friendly and outgoing, neat in appearance, and well spoken, with a warm yet professional tone and good grammar. This employee will represent you and your business and deal with your customers on a daily basis, so choose the image that you want him or her to project. Of course you want the impression to be a positive one.

The main objective of your front desk staff is to handle business in a manner that makes your customers happy. Of paramount importance is the ability to handle stressful situations calmly and with assurance. Of course, confidence increases with experience, but someone in this position needs to be in control right out of the box. That is why it is so important that your staff knows your policies and understands the reasoning behind them, as well as when exceptions can be made.

If a candidate lacks prior experience in the dance business, that can be good; that way, you can train your new employee in your own methods. And train her you must. Your school has many procedures that she will need to learn. Give her samples of all of your printed materials so that she can become acquainted with your school. You should also have a reference manual that contains procedures for your school’s operations. If you’re a techie, you may want to make a training video or DVD for new employees.

Training
One effective way to train a new employee is to have her shadow you or a seasoned staff person. This can be an invaluable aid in helping her understand the “personality” of your school and adopt the proper tone in interacting with clients. How do you want customers treated? How do you deal with problems? How much authority does the front desk staff have?

Role play is a great way to introduce a myriad of situations and work through them with no risk of damage if they are not handled as you would like. Remember not to correct too quickly. Let new employees work through each situation to the end; then offer comments and corrections.

Your front-desk staffers need to know what to do and how much latitude is allowed, in everything from how you want the phones answered to which decisions they are authorized to make (for example, waiving late fees). As their experience increases, so should their level of authority in making decisions. If every question or transaction continues to require your input, then you are not freeing yourself as you intended.

If you hire someone who has no background in dance, take the time to explain the different styles that you offer and the progression that you use. Explain which levels require age or ability minimums and how students are placed in classes or promoted from level to level. Explain your philosophy on dance as well as your teaching style. Having the new person observe or even participate in some classes will increase understanding of the process. After some exposure to your classes, those who are new to dance will gain an understanding of dance education in general and the workings of your school in particular.

Plan to spend considerable time on the training process. Of course you could do what the new person is doing faster yourself. Yes, it will take an investment of your time to train a new person—but think of it as building a clone of yourself. That investment will pay off eventually, in more available time for you to spend on the activities that are important to you.

Presentation
Be clear about your expectations regarding attire. Do you expect your desk person to wear a suit, or are jeans acceptable? How much jewelry and makeup is OK? How do you feel about piercings and tattoos? What level of neatness do you expect? Is their style of clothing acceptable, but it looks like they pulled it out of a laundry basket just before coming to work? Speak up right away, and be specific so that you won’t have an issue when someone shows up sporting a new look that makes you cringe.

Talk about the importance of maintaining professional decorum and point out how easily casual conversations can drift into unacceptable territory. Make it clear that you do not allow staff members to discuss any student’s, parent’s, or other employee’s personal information with anyone.

Part of being professional is being on the job at all times; don’t forget to specify what is allowed as far as accepting personal phone calls or visitors during working hours.

On the job
How will your new employee be paid—hourly or by salary? How and when will you evaluate performance? Can you offer any benefits, such as insurance or a retirement plan? Before you say that benefits are beyond your financial ability, check into supplemental insurance programs, which you can offer but are paid for by the employee (or whatever arrangement works for you). In addition, there are retirement plans that are quite reasonable for yourself that you can also offer to your employees. Another type of benefit is allowing employees or their families to take classes without charge.

Maintain a system for monitoring the work of your office staff. Work hard to make communication clear. Expect mistakes along the way, but also expect that they won’t be repeated.

Hire slowly; fire fast
If you are careful in the hiring and training processes, you should soon be enjoying a happy working relationship. But if not,
make a change. The saying “Hire slowly but fire fast” is good advice. If an employee is not working out, it is in everyone’s best interest to end the employment as soon as possible. But most hiring that is done with care will produce good results and you, your business, and your new employee will enjoy success.

The start of the dance season is tough on everyone—here’s how to make it smooth sailing

By Misty Lown

The dance season is full of hectic activity and trying situations all year long, but back-to-school time has its unique challenges. Every fall, school owners, teachers, and students suffer from the back-to-dance blues—even if they do think that studying or teaching dance is the greatest occupation in the world.

In September, nobody knows where to go or when to be there. New teachers botch policy, parents are frazzled, and kids are confused by new schedules. Shoes that were purchased big “for growth” at recital time no longer fit. Leotards are lost and summer haircuts try the patience of even the best bun-makers. Parents discover that their child’s favorite teacher has left and that the class their child “had to have” is now at the same time as volleyball practice. Young children who are not yet used to a full day of school struggle to find the energy for classes. High school students feel the absence of last year’s seniors and notice who didn’t come out for the performance company. And every student thinks he or she should be in a higher level.

After years of telling myself, “This September will be better,” I realized that the only way that was going to happen was to get some new systems in place. Who has time for a nervous breakdown during the third week of classes? Here are some actions school owners can take that will help everyone beat the September blues.

Getting in the groove again
Don’t start your season on empty! Make sure to take time to recharge your creative juices and revisit the reasons why you became a teacher in the first place. (And encourage your staff to do the same.) Summer is a great time to get out of the studio, take a class, take in a show, or attend a convention. Don’t underestimate the power of mutual encouragement and time spent planning for a new season. Attitudes are contagious. Getting fueled up before classes start will ensure that yours is worth catching.

Gearing up
Every teacher wants to start the season off with a standard of excellence, and that means enforcing the dress code. If your school has an in-studio boutique, that’s difficult to do when you run out of stock after the first day of classes. To combat that problem we hold a “Back to Dance” open house during the third week of August. Its primary purpose is to get students outfitted with shoes, leotards, tights, and warm-ups for the season. We transform the entire studio into a dancewear warehouse. All of the staff members and even some senior students assist with fitting shoes and dancewear. After the open house we restock the boutique back to standard levels, which is usually enough to handle the traffic for opening week.

Hosting the open house has offered some unexpected benefits. First, current students can make any needed schedule changes before the first day of classes, which cuts down on the traffic at the front desk during opening week. Second, I can give new students (especially preschoolers) a personal tour of the studio, which I might not have time for on the first day of classes. This extra time and attention helps new students and their parents feel like part of the “studio family” from day one and gives me a jumpstart on learning new students’ names. (Another great benefit is the free advertising and student leads the open house provides.)

Slaying the promotion dragon
I once heard someone say that the problem with dance lessons is that there is no belt system, like in martial arts, that measures a student’s progress. Martial arts students are continually promoted, progressing at the speed of a gazelle. As teachers—but often, not parents or students—know, dance education doesn’t work that way. Progress in dance is measured in minutiae—a little more turnout, better arms, improved balance or flexibility—which are hard for students and parents to see.

I notify my students of their placement for the next season in the registration packet, which they receive shortly after recital. I can always tell when the packets have arrived because the studio phone starts ringing off the hook with questions, mostly about level placement. I used to try to justify my decisions (based on testing records, attendance records, age, and attitude), but often I felt pushed into promoting a student who promised to take private lessons during the summer. Usually those lessons never happened, and in the fall I would be disappointed that I hadn’t trusted my gut when the students couldn’t keep up with the higher level.

Two years ago I instituted a “wait and see” policy with all requests for level adjustments. That means that if Suzy was not promoted from Ballet II to Ballet III, she needs to register for Ballet II even though she believes she is ready for Ballet III. I visit every class during September and consult with teachers to see if anyone is out of place. Nine out of 10 times I was right to keep the students in the same level, and most of them don’t ask to be moved up again because they see that they weren’t the “only one” (as they had feared) who wasn’t promoted.

The ultimate organizational tool
My number-one tool for getting through September is simple: a notebook. I carry it with me at all times during the first few weeks of classes, jotting down questions, suggestions, concerns, schedule conflicts, and ideas to make next season’s first week run smoother. There is no organization to it; it’s just a running of list of everything I need to remember. If I can’t be at the studio, I leave the notebook at the front desk and anything I need to know about is logged in there by the front desk staff or teachers. Then later I go through the list to organize, prioritize, and delegate. It’s not fancy, but it sure beats trying to remember every parent’s questions, tracking message slips, or running to the front desk to write myself a note that I’d probably lose anyway.

Communicating
Many employers assume that their staff members, especially longtime teachers, understand how things are done. But every year I am reminded by our new teachers that much of what we do is part of our studio culture and is not documented in policy.

One way to increase understanding and communication is to have a staff meeting in August. I schedule ours for two days, during which we cover curriculum, classroom management, and general studio policies. There are special sessions for younger teachers and one for everyone to make sure we all take the same approach to common technique issues, such as pirouette preparation. Spending the time and money to get the teachers together at the beginning of the season builds consistency and community for the entire season.

Introducing new teachers
Students and parents are often shocked to see a new face at the front of the classroom. Even though I include bios for new teachers in the registration materials, placing a “New Faces” display in the lobby helps families get to know the new teachers—and it makes the teachers feel welcome. The baseball-card–style display includes a picture and stats for each teacher, including her hometown, home studio, number of years teaching, favorite style of dance, embarrassing dance moment, favorite quote, and a goal for this year’s classes. The transition to a new teacher is eased when parents and their children look at the display and talk about how fun it will be to experience someone different. Without this internal PR tool, I would be spending a lot of time in the hallways reassuring parents and relaying credentials.

Easing first-week jitters
Students often don’t know where to go for their classes on the first day, so during the first week of classes I use a system called “Signs & Sisters.” In the lobby is a huge whiteboard that lists the class information for the day, including room assignments. A crew of senior-level students in studio T-shirts (the “sisters”) walk the young students to their classes, assist with shoe fittings for those who haven’t purchased the basics, and keep things picked up. The “sisters” help new students feel welcome, with the fringe benefit of making me feel like I’m on top of things instead of running in all directions at once.

Optimizing the start of classes
One year I lost 15 students in the first week of classes because they said they were too tired to dance. The problem, I discovered, was that I had started dance classes the same week that school began. I have never made that mistake again. Now the students have a full week back at school before starting dance classes. That period of adjustment has made all the difference in complaints about fatigue. Last year only one student questioned her stamina during the first week, and she happened to be 5. The next week, a nap before class took care of the problem.

Providing continuity
The beginning of the year can bring a sense of loss for students. That’s when they fully realize that the seniors are gone or so-and-so has joined the school drama group instead of taking dance. Acknowledging their absence eases the transition. Keeping tabs on alumni who are dancing in college or in companies shows that you haven’t forgotten them. Often they are role models for your current dancers, so provide updates on their activities and invite them to visit the studio or take class when they’re in town.

There’s only one you
Even with the best planning and preparation, September will be filled with long hours and dozens of questions. So take care of your physical and mental health. Eat well, get enough sleep, and most important, get out of the studio! Take a walk, go shopping, develop a hobby, or have coffee with a friend (preferably someone who doesn’t like dance). And if you still need a break, there’s always curling up on the couch with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and watching TV for a couple of hours. If you’re wired like most dance studio owners, you’ll be itching for the action again before you know it!

Just for Students

How to help yourself get off to a good start in September
Dance classes are often the last activity to get squeezed into a busy fall schedule. So be realistic about what you can handle and still maintain your grades, health, and sanity. Start out with ballet, tap, and jazz classes; then, if you are managing your schoolwork, school activities, and dance classes well by the end of September, go for adding lyrical, pointe, hip-hop, or whatever else you’re inclined to study. You’ll be better served in the long run by building a foundation of the basics rather than attending classes in every style of dance in a hit-or-miss fashion.

About three weeks into every school year students start calling in sick. In addition to setting a realistic schedule, you can avoid getting sick by following some old-fashioned advice:

• Get to sleep at a reasonable, regular time (ideally before 11 p.m.).
• Eat a good breakfast.
• Drink lots of water.
• Wash your hands often. (Do you have any idea how germy ballet barres are?)

But here’s some modern advice too: Turn off your cell phone at night, and don’t spend more time on Facebook than on your schoolbooks. Developing healthy habits not only helps beat back colds and the flu, it helps prevent injury as well. When you’re overtired or dehydrated, you increase your risk of injury, which could sideline you for weeks or months at a time. Don’t let that happen to you!

College graduates on the value of a degree to a career in dance

By Joshua Bartlett

There is no dearth of university programs that cater to dancers. Nearly every state in the union offers students a chance to complete a four-year degree with a dance major. These days more dancers than ever seem to be pursuing college studies to lay a foundation in the arts. But once you’ve got that BA degree, will you get a J-O-B?

Gabrielle Ruiz, here in an unidentified rehearsal, trained in musical theater at Oklahoma City University and is now on the road with the national touring company of A Chorus Line. (Photo courtesy Gabrielle Ruiz)

It’s a common question in any career field, but it’s particularly so in dance. Lots of dancers don’t go the college route—either they can’t afford it or they want to jump into their careers early—and some of them prosper. So before saying goodbye to the $40,000 a year that college can cost these days, it’s natural for an aspiring dancer, choreographer, or teacher to wonder how well a college program will prepare her for a job in the field. Some recent grads shared their stories of life in the post-college dance world.

Case studies: from college to career
Kate Walker, who graduated from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle with a BFA degree, has pursued a career that is not atypical of a lot of dance majors: She combines teaching, choreographing, and performing. Now based in Dallas, she performs primarily with Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s second company. But in her senior year at Cornish, she discovered that teaching was as enjoyable as dancing. “I didn’t know if I wanted to do it, but I got addicted the minute I walked into the studio,” says Walker. “Now I teach mainly adult and teen classes from beginner to advanced levels. I like teaching concepts of dancing in a healthy way so you can enjoy the art. I want to make it a positive experience for everyone.”

At Emory University in Atlanta, Irfana Jetha took on a heady double major—dance/movement and international studies with a focus on political economy. “At Emory, the program is so small that they can concentrate on showing you the possibilities of what you want to do in art,” says Jetha, who did an internship as assistant company manager for The Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center while still in college. Then, after graduating in 2007, she was hired as the coordinator for Atlanta Ballet’s Kids in Step Program, which brings schoolchildren from around the region to attend daytime performances of the company’s repertoire. Recently she moved to New York to explore her opportunities as a dancer and an arts administrator.

A 2005 graduate of Barnard College in New York City, Ana Kielson majored in English literature and minored in dance and Russian. “I knew I needed an arsenal of skills to be prepared for anything that came my way, dance related or not,” says Kielson. “I knew I wanted to dance, so that was a last hurrah for academics.” Since entering the field, she has engaged in a grab bag of jobs: dancing with PearsonWidrig DanceTheater, teaching at Skidmore College, apprenticing with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, working at the Dance Theater Workshop box office in Manhattan, choreographing her own pieces, archiving films for the Merce Cunningham company, writing grants for dance companies, and publishing a “zine,” a low-budget magazine for dancers and choreographers. Both the pedigreed Barnard name and the writing and thinking skills required at the school prepared her in a way that opened doors and enabled her to do such varied work.

Gabrielle Ruiz, however, seemed destined for a musical theater career when she found Jo Rowan’s theatrically oriented program at Oklahoma City University. After graduating with a degree in dance performance, she headed to New York and found an agent. She is currently traveling with the national touring company of A Chorus Line. Fittingly, as the feisty Puerto Rican character Diana Morales, she sings “What I Did for Love.” “I wasn’t even one of those competition kids,” says Ruiz. “At the university, I improved my technique and learned how to audition, how to survive, how to talk to an agent, how to create a resume, what happens if you get injured, what the options are. It’s a hard school; it’s exhausting. But you learn how much you love this business.”

One of the quirkier student/career trajectories is that of Orlando native Lauren Fadeley, who joined New York City Ballet at the tender age of 16. During her second year of dancing with the company, she broke her foot. “I suddenly realized I couldn’t dance forever and I needed a backup plan,” says Fadeley. She enrolled in Indiana University’s ballet department at the Jacobs School of Music at 18 and graduated in May 2007 with a BS in dance with a minor in kinesiology. Then last year she was hired as a member of Pennsylvania Ballet’s corps de ballet. “I’m 22, back in the professional world, and feel like I never skipped a beat,” says Fadeley. “And I have a college degree on top of it.”

Grading the college programs
As for the preparation the students received, most of the schools were given high marks in efficacy. Kielson, who had previously concentrated on contact improvisation, appreciated the diversity of the training at Barnard. “I received a ton of dance training I hadn’t had before, like Limón, Taylor, and Graham techniques,” says Kielson. “It made me less judgmental.” Yuriko, a noted former Graham dancer, set reconstructions of Steps in the Street and Celebration for Barnard’s student performances.

More dancers than ever seem to be pursuing college studies to lay a foundation in the arts. But once you’ve got that BA degree, will you get a J-O-B?

Walker liked the way that Cornish College of the Arts gave her a new perspective on physicality. “I don’t necessarily have the body of a dancer, was never turned out or flexible. Cornish taught me how to use what I have and use the best of it,” she says. As someone who was always challenged by talking to people, she says, “Cornish addressed the networking aspect. Kitty Daniels [chair of the dance department] taught a senior seminar class in preparing for dance in the real world.”

Fadeley enjoyed returning to an educational environment after her stint at New York City Ballet. “It was nice to go to class with people who don’t know anything about ballet,” she says. In addition to studying anatomy and physiology, which helped her understand the body’s mechanics, she danced lead roles in Balanchine ballets like Allegro Brillante and Who Cares? She learned Sonatine from the role’s creator, famed former ballerina Violette Verdy, a professor at Indiana University.

Making a match
Seeking out a college curriculum that fits your needs is essential. Jetha, who grew up with a ballet background, says that the Emory program concentrated on modern dance and offered very little ballet. Because her ballet technique was strong, it didn’t affect her as much as others who needed more technique. Ruiz says the Oklahoma program could have offered more street jazz and hip-hop, although some modern dancers showed up expecting to see more contemporary classes. And before Michael Vernon took over as the director of the department at Indiana University, Fadeley felt that a stronger emphasis was needed in preparing dancers for the audition process.

Transitioning
Naturally, life in academia doesn’t prepare you for everything in the professional world. “The people at Cornish want the best for you so you can succeed,” says Walker. “That’s not always the case when you audition or get into a company. I had to learn to deal with people who don’t have my best interests at heart.”

After graduation from Emory University, an academically rigorous school that emphasizes volunteer work, Jetha learned the pragmatic side of business. “I was responsible for my own program with Kids in Step,” she says. “I figured out how to run a budget—number stuff. That’s the experience you gain from conducting business, everyday interaction. How can I make this better?”

In Fadeley’s experience at New York City Ballet, she often learned a ballet and then performed it the following night. “We would spend months rehearsing a ballet in Indiana,” she says. “In the real world that’s not realistic.”

Perhaps most pointedly, Kielson says, “The professional world is not a meritocracy. I knew that on an intellectual level, but now I’m really experiencing that and keeping the perspective. You don’t get a grade working for other people. Sometimes they need someone 6 feet tall or a dancer of color. It has nothing to do with working hard or technique. Nothing prepares you for that.” Still, as her boyfriend reminded her, no one could ever steal her ability to dance. “I never realized that in school. It’s not like someone took your violin away,” she adds.

Weighing the cost
The costs of college today, as everyone knows all too well, can run high. So a student needs to weigh her love of dance against the wage-earning potential of a dance degree. The dancers interviewed for this article agreed that their degree was worth the price. Some got financial support from their families; others are still paying for it. “Oklahoma City University is an expensive private school and I realize that my loan payments are now due,” says Ruiz. “Words like ‘forbearance’ are hard to hear.” On the other hand, Fadeley, now debt free from tuition payments, had been able to save all her wages at NYCB while she lived in the School of American Ballet dormitories as a teenager.

Parents are sometimes wary of their child’s dance career aspirations, but a college degree can help cushion the fear of spawning a starving artist. “My father had a tough time knowing my life wouldn’t always be financially secure, but my parents helped me out in every way they could,” says Walker. “Now they always travel to see me dance.”

Jetha’s parents of Indian heritage grew up in East Africa. “I come from an immigrant family, so they were concerned about how I was going to support myself,” says Jetha. “But they supported me through college.”

College = options
As for their fellow students, many of the dancers went into other areas of dance, like running their own schools or dancing in Las Vegas revues or joining NBA dance teams. Others pursued alternative careers: physical therapists, nurses, casting agents, or makeup artists at Nordstrom department stores.

As with any training in the dance world, a college education can be viewed as a tool to help you in your career and life. “You have to be honest with yourself about what you want and be open to defining what it is you’re doing,” says Kielson. “Some dancers think that if they don’t get a job with Mark Morris, they won’t be a dancer. That’s ridiculous. I know the most brilliant dancers that you don’t see at Lincoln Center. Don’t have too many expectations about what your career should be.”