Expert: Dianne M. Buxton - 12/5/2007

Question
Hello,
I'm a dance teacher, yet without much experience (I've just finished my BA in dance teaching, and I have been teaching ballet only since last year and to the same class).
I'm teaching children in the age group of 5<8 years old, and I have noticed that they have little flexibility and I would like to develop that capacity in them. I would like to ask you any kind of exercises to emphasize that kind of work, preferably with some creative feel, because they love all the "metaphors" I've been using.

Also I would like to know how to develop the classes, although they are so young, is already the second year that I'm teaching to the same class and the students from last year are needing to learn more material. Most of the syllabus I've been teaching is floor barre (flex/stretch feet, scissors, en dehors/parallel, hands waving), elementary steps (gallops, skips, running in 1/2 pointe, ballet walks, coupés), pliés and rises in 1st and 2nd position and port de bras. All is done in rows in the center, diagonal, or in circle. I don't have a barre or mirror (yes, it's awfull, because they hardly understand the mistakes they're making), this is a private college with low resources for extracurricular activities.
Well, hope you can give me any answer concerning my dilemmas :-) Ah, and sorry for any misspelling, as I'm writing you from Portugal, my English might not be the best.
Thanks for the attention
Lucila Pereira

Answer
Hi Lucila. It sounds to me like you are doing all that you can do under the conditions you have. Not having a barre is tough. I remember when I started dancing we didn't have a barre, but my teacher was in a gymnasium and we used the backs of fold-out chairs for a barre.

5-8 year olds in a professional school, do not do much more than what your students are doing. You just have to keep making up variations of the same things, because they need the repetition to develop strength.

I would suggest going to a dance studio and offering yourself as an assistant in classes, even without pay. That is generally how teachers get their experience. Assisting an experienced teacher, one or two classes a week, is the fastest way to learn. You can't learn it from a text book, or teacher course.

Go to the most professional school in town, watch a few classes and pick out a teacher you would like to learn from.  Try to assist a class at the level you teach, and one more advanced. You'll get lots of ideas.

I have some articles about stretching at http://www.theballetstore.com There are also some on the blog there. The exercises are written for older children however, so keep it easy.

I must mention a book I read just recently, by Lisa Howell. It is a pre-pointe book, but the technique, photos, anatomy information and progressive strengthening routines apply to all aspects of technique. The details are fantastic. I would recommend it to any teacher. Although your students are a little younger than the ages she wrote it for, you'll get ideas for exercises that will benefit your students tremendously. Lisa charges $47.77 for this book, and her link is http://www.linkbrander.com/go/54727 if you would like to see more about it. While I hate to recommend spending money, this is the equivalent of a good college text. She is a dance medicine specialist and provides what every teacher has always wanted. It is in ebook form, you download it and print yourself.

Lisa also wrote a manual for teachers, but it is currently sold out. However, the pre-pointe book has a lot of the same data in it.

Please feel free to ask me if you have any further questions.

A brief follow up - I've recommended to almost everyone to read my articles and blog entries at http://www.theballetstore.com You have to create a user name to log in to see all the blog entries - your privacy is safe! I really apologize that I didn't tell you this - I'm not a technical person!