dance teacher
Teaching Tip: The Two-Minute Rule
If you are just beginning to teach young children, you may want to keep in mind what I like to call the “two-minute rule”. Little ones tend to bore easily, so besides presenting an energetic demeanor, you can also make sure they pay attention by limiting each exercise to about two minutes or so (give or take).
This means some advance planning. If you have a 40 minute class and teach in two-minute segments, that means a lot of different activities! Still, you can use the same ones over again each week–just make sure that you add a new one from time to time to change things up a little bit.
If you are stuck for new ideas, take a peek at this piece I wrote some time ago for Dance Teacher on how to use games to teach a dance class for young students. It should give you some tools you can use.
Anyone else have any tips? Feel free to share them here–it’s nice when we can all help each other out!
Mentoring Dancers
When I was about 12 years old, my dance teacher told me that there was nothing else for me to learn from her. She told me to go and take class downtown in Chicago from one of the notable schools so that I could continue to improve. At that moment, she became more than a teacher–she was a mentor, nurturing me and guiding me onward in my career.
I have mentored a few students of my own over time. Mentoring is more than taking an interest in a particular student in class. It involves a committment to their development, both personally and professionally. It means you go the extra mile and try to share your experience in a way that will help them grow. It is extremely satisfying and rewarding…
5 Tips For Better Turns
- Copyright 2006, Catherine L. Tully
Many dancers find that turns are a difficult part of dance. If you don’t take to turns naturally, there are some things that you can do to improve. Here are five tips for getting those pirouettes on track:
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Practice spotting. Learning how to spot well can take some time. Dance Teacher magazine has a great article online here that explains the details on how to get the most out of this technique for not getting dizzy while you turn.
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Get feedback. Listen to what your teacher tells you about your turns and try to apply it. This can be difficult, because you can’t see your body at the same time you are turning. Still, your teacher can work with you to correct any problems they see with your turns.
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Pay attention to your body. If you are always falling forward out of your turns, you may need to keep your shoulders back more or watch that you are not looking down at the ground. If you are falling backward, see if you are raising your arms too high or letting your back sway. Whatever the problem is with your turn, it will also help give you a clue as to what the solution may be.
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Watch and learn. Keep watching those who turn well and see what they do to prepare and execute their turns. If you learn visually this will be especially helpful.
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Be patient. Turns are one of the most difficult things to master. Don’t get discouraged; if you keep practicing, they will improve!
