Teaching Tip: Challenging Your Students In Class
Sometimes it is good to give your students a bit of a challenge in ballet class. Change things up a bit. Students get used to certain patterns, and breaking from the routine will keep them from getting complacent.
For example:
+ Start class facing the opposite way from which you usually begin at the barre.
+ Have students face away from the mirror to do their exercises in the center.
+ Teach a combination, then have the students reverse it.
+ Do exercises in both single and double time.
+ Have students come up with their own simple combinations.
Just throwing a new thing into the mix will help keep your dance classes lively. It will also challenge your students to think outside the box and stretch a bit as dancers. Try to do things like this from time-to-time and the result will be a happier class that is more able to respond to change.
4dancers
Catherine L. Tully is the owner/editor at 4dancers.org. She has performed professionally and taught at many different places throughout the United States and Japan. To learn more about Catherine and the other contributors at 4dancers, see the "Contributor" tab at the top of the page. To reach Catherine, send an e-mail to info (at) 4dancers (dot) org
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