In Aiano Nakagawa’s creative-dance class at Acorn Woodland Child Development Center in Oakland, California, a student wanted to run really fast instead of exploring shapes as planned. Nakagawa didn’t dismiss or correct the desire. Instead, she yelled, “Yeah! And can you try a sharp shape at the end?” Another time, teachers were asking students not […]
Q: After attending a summer program at a prestigious ballet school, my daughter has been invited to stay for the year-round program. She is interested, of course, but I’m not so sure. How can I be objective about this? A: An invitation to attend a top-tier academy is undoubtedly a great compliment to your daughter’s […]
It can happen so quickly. One moment a promising student is strong and pushing their way forward to success, and then suddenly they begin to evaporate before your eyes. Research has consistently shown that dancers are at least three times as likely to experience an eating disorder compared to the general population. So even if […]
Summer intensive season is just around the corner, which means it’s time to begin prepping your students for the do’s and don’ts of program etiquette. Of course your students know how to behave within the classroom (you’ve raised them right), but there are a few curveballs coming there way during their five weeks of intense […]
Working with a 9-year-old student, Alexandra Koltun asks the young girl to face the barre. She reviews fifth position, demi-pointe with the front foot and coupé devant. “I separate all the positions, so the student understands each one,” says Koltun, founder and artistic director of Koltun Ballet Boston. She reaches down to shape the girl’s […]
Stage fright is no joke! Any dancer who’s experienced the sudden whirl of butterflies in the stomach that can make you feel slightly nauseous will agree that those nerves can hamper your performance, no matter how many hours you’ve practiced. So we can totally relate to the tears shed by this tiny toddler as she […]