As a longtime open-class teacher in New York City, Emily Bufferd has worked with dancers of every skill level. Whether someone is a working professional, a young child just discovering movement, or an adult who hasn’t taken class in decades, her philosophy is the same: Everybody is a dancer. And Bufferd is there to help […]
Recently, I asked fellow dancers on Facebook for a one-word self-assessment of the first class they ever taught. “Chaotic,” “humbling” and “copycat” were just some of their responses. I was not surprised. For my first-ever class, intermediate ballet for my fellow college students in 2011, I was armed with little more than my own experiences […]
Teaching arabesque can be a challenge for educators and students alike. Differences in body types, flexibility and strength can leave dancers feeling dejected about the possibility of improving this essential position. To help each of us in our quest for establishing beautiful arabesques in our students without bringing them to tears, we caught up with […]
Q: Do you approach your K–12 classes differently than when you teach at a studio? A: When shifting from teaching at a private studio to a public or private school, people need to rethink what the function of their class is. In a studio, the goal is most likely to teach technique, but that is […]
We’ve all had times when we’ve failed miserably while trying our best to communicate important concepts and ideas to our students. We are all well-meaning with hopes that our dancers will achieve their dreams and become kind humans along the way. Unfortunately, our delivery may need some honing in order to help them without causing […]
Tallulah’s Tap Shoes By Marilyn Singer Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger 48 pages; $16.99 The latest installment in the popular Tallulah series has Tallulah trying something new: tap! If you have students who feel uncomfortable trying new styles, this story demonstrates the rewards of hard work and persistence–all from a plucky protagonist’s point of view. Enter […]
Copeland with Brooklyn Mack (She will make her U.S. debut as Odette/Odile in 2015 in The Washington Ballet’s Swan Lake.) As many artists know, being a great dancer does not necessarily make you a great teacher. No matter your talent, it takes dedication and practice to become an effective educator. That’s why we’re so excited […]
Embracing competition circuit students into college dance “Sometimes my class is honestly quite unsatisfying to former competition dancers.” —Meghan Durham Sophomore Lindsay Deitchman says it took her a full semester to feel comfortable at Ohio State University’s dance program. Competing with studios in Westchester, New York, she had little modern dance training and didn’t understand […]