open class - etiquette for the centre

[mimi66]

Sorry Michelle if I got the wrong end of the stick. 

[Michelle_Richer]

No I have been naughty at another class when the teacher hesitated to answer a dancer behind me, then I answered it for her, and I did get into trouble for that one too.

 

The one I mentioned wasn't quite that simple, it was during rehearsal for our show, our performance piece was broken in to about 4 sub group pieces, our teacher would often be address issues with another group, we would be there practicing and helping each other out on our own piece(s), that was expected of us. I think even from this forum I think people realise I have quite a strong character, plus my local teacher (not the one at the Theatre) is very much a stickler for detail and a lot of that has rubbed off on me. It was only when I was off one week, some of the girls had a bit of a moan. I only ever missed 2 rehearsals, the first week they started, there was no warning and it was my week for the ROH class, then the only other one I was ill. Its also quite fully the week before I was ill another bit got added to our performance piece, that was taken from a section of what we had already done but this time on the opposite foot (Simples). When we danced everything through when I got back including this new piece, I turned round, everyone was facing and close to the opposite wall. I couldn't understand where I went wrong, then our teacher told me, the girls found it difficult doing that piece on the opposite foot so it was changes back. Well there you go that's experienced dancers for you.

 

Sorry for being catty.

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi mimi66

Here is another combination to add to your configurations, that’s dancing as a duet. I have just returned from my Le Corsaire workshop in Oxford and it was fantastic. We did a couple of enchainements, the first I’ve mostly forgotten. The second enchainement we spent most of the time on. Although it was quite long it did have a lot of repetition using both sides so to speak. However after doing it starting on the diagonal from upstage left, out teacher got us to do it from upstage right. We danced the enchainement in two groups one of 5 and the other 6. The crunch came about 15-20 minute before the end when she decided we would dance it as duets. One girl retired as she had hurt her foot leaving two groups of 5. One girl from each group would start in opposite corners, the girl from upstage left would have precedence as both would be dancing on opposite diagonals, the girl from the left would cross in front, once they both got to opposite down stage corners they would only dance that side to the centre as mirror images, it was awesome, at the end it was finished with a couple of chaine’s and a temps lie en avant towards each other where the gesturing foot of each dancer is almost touching and opposite arm in 5th displaying a beautify mirror image ending. Needless to say every girl danced the duet combination.

 

I guess that is not for the faint hearted as you cannot follow your partner as everything is reversed. That’s the first time I have danced that type of combination and I was really impressed by it.

[Anjuli_Bai]

One of the loveliest elements of the etiquitte of ballet class is the reverence.

 

My first teacher, Margueritte Ellicott (a student of Alexandra Baldina) came into class with her little white poodle, Comtessa, sat in the "teacher's chair" as Comtessa settled on a mat beside the chair.

 

The  students lined up in front of her and each of us one by one, stepped forward and offered our reverence.

 

 It went so:    stand in modified first position, tendu right foot to second, temps lié to tendu left foot in second,  rond de jambe left foot en derriérre as the arms open to second from fifth front,  and  bend both knees in a curtsey,   

 

At the same time we said:  "Good Morning, Miss Ellicott"  (or whatever time of day.)

 

At the end of class we did a class reverence to her, then the pianist, as we applauded.

 

Then, once again, we lined up to give our reverence one by one saying:  "Thank you, Miss Ellicott."

 

While we made our personal reverence she would offer a comment such as "good class, Miss Jones."  Or she would critique the reverence itself.

 

I remember my first class, I was flabbergasted - I had never curtsied to anyone in my life!  But, after I got over that I loved it - I loved practicing the beauty of  it - the tradition.  The day she complimented my curtsey I was ecstatic.  

 

Oh- and Comtessa would stand at the end of  our line and when her turn came, she would bow, too.  

[Michelle_Richer]

Wow that does sound nice Anjuli.

Reverence in the classes I attend vary very widely from a simple clap to a full reverence, however in all cases its lead by the teacher.

I really love a proper reverence I think it has an elegance all of it own.

 

For me personally irrespective of what the class does generally, I will always finish with a full knee on the floor curtsy, that’s just my style.

Similarly I will always personally thank the teacher and pianist if we have one. I’m not too sure if it would have the same meaning if everyone did that.

[mimi66]

Hi mimi66

Here is another combination to add to your configurations, [...]

 

One girl from each group would start in opposite corners, the girl from upstage left would have precedence as both would be dancing on opposite diagonals, the girl from the left would cross in front, [...]

 

Thank you, Michelle!

 

An excellent example of "unspoken" protocol at the centre .   I would love to hear more about those "etiquette".

[mimi66]

One of the loveliest elements of the etiquitte of ballet class is the reverence.

 

My first teacher, Margueritte Ellicott (a student of Alexandra Baldina) came into class with her little white poodle, Comtessa, sat in the "teacher's chair" as Comtessa settled on a mat beside the chair.

 

The  students lined up in front of her and each of us one by one, stepped forward and offered our reverence.

 

 It went so:    stand in modified first position, tendu right foot to second, temps lié to tendu left foot in second,  rond de jambe left foot en derriérre as the arms open to second from fifth front,  and  bend both knees in a curtsey,   

 

At the same time we said:  "Good Morning, Miss Ellicott"  (or whatever time of day.)

 

At the end of class we did a class reverence to her, then the pianist, as we applauded.

 

Then, once again, we lined up to give our reverence one by one saying:  "Thank you, Miss Ellicott."

 

While we made our personal reverence she would offer a comment such as "good class, Miss Jones."  Or she would critique the reverence itself.

 

I remember my first class, I was flabbergasted - I had never curtsied to anyone in my life!  But, after I got over that I loved it - I loved practicing the beauty of  it - the tradition.  The day she complimented my curtsey I was ecstatic.  

 

Oh- and Comtessa would stand at the end of  our line and when her turn came, she would bow, too.  

 

Anjuli, this is such a lovely story... particularly Comtessa's bow.

[Michelle_Richer]

Here is another useful one, that applies to the larger classes that have portable barre’s in the centre. I think those that intend to use that barre particularly guys with there superior upper body strength should be those that move the barre’s into position and away at the end.

 

At one of my main classes, its very disorganised and left to those that will, usually its myself and the same young lady, in spite of there being guys present and using the same central barre.

 

I know on one occasion when ask a guy for help ( I guess I was being a bit direct) and he told me to stop practicing my assertion skills on him and walked away. Personally I don’t think the guys should let us girls move heavy barre’s when there are sufficient guys in the class to do it. Some may say I’m sexist, but I think I’m just old fashioned, even if on occasions I do try and organise things.

[Thecatsmother]

It is usually a good idea to seek the advice of a Physio in order to get an expert opinion if pain is experienced on a regular basis. They should be able to give you an idea of what is causing pain, what you can do to reduce this and what you should/should not do if it is likely to exacerbate the potential injury. It is often wise to seek professional advice earlier than later as it can reduce the risk of having to take time off dance with a chronic injury. There is a list of physio's with a special interest in dance on the BAPAM and Dance UK website. This should tell you if there is one in your area or in an area where you travel for class.

[Thecatsmother]

Sorry this was in response to simply adult ballet thread.

[LinMM]

I think that man from your class was very rude Michelle.

 

However sometimes one can be ones own worst enemy.....if you rush to put the barre away too much you will come to be seen as "the barre" person. Sometimes you have to step back and let others do it.....you have something you just must fix on your shoe.....or you just have to dash to the loo at that point!!

It's good for everyone to take their turn at putting the barres out and away.

Some of them are quite heavy and for safety often really need three rather than just two lifting them.

 

I'm pretty good with my OAP status and like to pretend am still in my forties to a degree but its one of the times I might choose to draw the OAP card if I see I'm (with others) lifting the really heavy barre too often and I start to think.....oh let the young ones do it!! And among them hopefully some of the younger males!!

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Lin

 

Sorry I don't do OAP, grey hair or intend to grow old gracefully, its just not in my mind-set, as for waiting for others to move the barre, I never was born with much in the way of patients, I just like to get things done and make it happen if necessary.

 

I did concede just a bit in getting my rail card, but I'm really struggling over getting a bus pass. Perhaps the savings on the busses to RAD may tilt the balance, but only if the bus drivers treat me the same way as one of the ticket staff at Peterborough station, when he ask me If I had stolen my mums rail card, that really did bring a smile to my face, I was walking on air for the rest of the day.

[LinMM]

That's nice!!

I must admit these days I never know what to think when someone offers me a seat on the tube in London!

 

Whether to be exceptionally grateful at someone's very good manners and kindness or think "god, do I look that old"

 

It sometimes happens on local buses when their machine isn't working! They wave me on before even opened my purse......so they must know am an OAP!!

[mimi66]

I will try not to make it into a rant... so it may sound rather abstruct, but I am sure you will understand what I am talking about...

 

In the centre -or for that matter even at the barre- one stays in the same position (relative to the groups one is doing the exercise) throughout the class.

 

After the first exercise everyone more or less establishes safe spacing.  If someone wonders about after that, these spacing are affected and everyone is forced to move.  Not only waste of time but also disruptive and dangerous.

 

I particularly can't stand those people who stand in the front row when they think they can this particular exercise, only to move back to the back row (and makig others move to make space for them!) they are not confident in doing certain exercise.  No one cares how well others are dancing but we do care how well othes are spacing themselves, because we do not want to end up kicking or hitting other people while dancing.

 

A few years ago this was not a problem in elementary plus upwards classes, but lately there are many people who do not seem to know this rule.  (don't they teach this basic classroom manner anymore? )  In the classroom it is the same as the stage - once the position is assinged (or, you assinge yourself a place), please don't move at will...

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Mimi66 

I agree, a bit of a rant:

 

Firstly position at the barre where its a regular attended class of the same dancers, then their positions generally are quite stable out of comfort or habit, however some teachers will choose to change these periodically. So why should the dancers not do this for themselves and come out of their comfort zone, a real advantage I would have thought.

 

I can understand the logic of keeping the same groups together whilst doing an enchainement or travelling turns from corner to corner, when going on the opposite diagonal on the opposite foot. Commonly one or two do change groupings, but it has no adverse effect on the class as a whole.

 

When dancers assemble in the centre en face, there is no specific position for each dancer based on the last time they were in this position, I have never known this at any class I have attended. Mostly the more confident dancers will tend to go to the front, sometimes the teacher will break the class up into lines where everyone will get to dance in the front line position whilst doing that exercise.

 

What I find particularly helpful but not all that common, is where the teacher has easy and harder options on an enchainement which is really useful in a mixed ability class. Let imagine this is corner work but it can apply equally in the centre. Most confident dancers go first with the more challenging option in the assigned groupings 2's , 3's or 4's. Next grouping will tend to be those confident with the simpler option and then finally the least confident (Last one or two grouping) using the easier option following the teacher. For me that is a very successful combination of taking into account the wide range of abilities.

 

There is a less structured situation that occurs, I wonder what you will make of this. before we assemble in our grouping our teacher will often say mark it to the music and she will lead corner to corner or whatever, the class follows en mass, quite close together but without mishaps. The teacher will stop part way across the room, but does not give an instruction to stop, the music is still playing. For me, especially if we are doing travelling turns, I will continue to my final destination (The crack in the wall on opposite corner), even if it means navigating through those dancers that have stopped. If the music's playing, I'm dancing unless instructed otherwise, that's what I'm therefore.

 

I personally would hate to see a highly regimented class where dancers don't think for themselves, and have to stand in a certain position like a penguin. It certainly would not work for me.

[mimi66]

michelle, I am talking about keeping the same position during that particular class.  

 

The problem I am talking about happens because some dancers are unable to think for themselves.  Or that the level of the class is too difficult for them (here I am not talking about the complexity of enchainements nor how long they have been attending to that particular class) - they cannnot judge appropriate spacing or control their bodies adequately, and would benefit more from going to the classes more appropriate for their present level of developement.

 

If you don't know the basic traffic rules, you should not be driving. No one would say they hate driving in an "regimented" way, keeping the safe distance and keeping to the rules like penguines. Ballet classes are no different.

[mimi66]

Oh, by the way, in the travelling steps one should not overtake others as a rule. 

 

We can't see things coming from behind and it is very dangerous.  Common sense, really. 

 

In the situation you have described, I would also stop when people in front of you stops - it's a mark, after all.

If you want to keep going  when marking, you should place yourself in the very front from the beginning of the class and stay there throughout.  That way, you are not encroaching other dancers space.

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi Mimi66

 

I would generally agree with not overtaking when you are completing a travelling sequence; however on marking when others stop and give up, my perspective is they are no longer dancing and are not utilising that studio space, so I will continue providing I think it is safe to do so. Unless (a) I’m instructed otherwise or ( the music stops. It depends what confidence you have in your own ability to navigate.

 

If I am with a small grouping going across the floor then I have to adjust my pace (stride, jump etc) to maintain position as we all do, it’s a little more difficult for a formation of three where you are the single lead. As far as I am concerned the positioning is the same for an absolute beginner class as it is for a more advanced class.

 

However I am somewhat concerned at your elitist view that someone who displays some difficulties should be relegated into a lower class. That must be sole destroying to someone who is trying very hard to master something new and it doesn’t quite come off the first time. What are you suggesting they should do?, give up and say I can’t do it, I should go back to a lower grade?. I’m glad I’m not in such a class, I hope I have a teacher that recognises my determination and is there to assist me to blossom and stretch my ability. After all, the main reason we are there is to learn and develop, and should not be frightened to make a mistakes on the way.  This is why I like the approach of some of my teachers in a mixed ability class, they cater for that in their stride and it works well. No one is disadvantaged as a result.

[mimi66]

So, applying the same logic to Michelle's post no.117, allowing only those who have driving licence to drive public highway  will make Britain an "elitist" nation.  Now that's evil.

 

Joking aside, isn`t it a bit drastic a discription to call  a common sense an elitism?  I believe every person have a right to lean something in an environment that is most benefitial for their stage of learning.  And that includes physical safety during the classe of all the dancers in that class, including those who are attending the appropriate level of the class.

 

Also, it's the beginner's class where one learns those class room protocol.  One should already know it by the time one attends general level (or elementary) open class.  So " I will do what I feel like unless and until I am told off" logic doesn't work. 

 

What is so wrong with being in a beginnner's class, if you haven't learned the skill which is required in an elementary level class? How is it a soul destroying experience?  One will go through a lot of difficulties in what you describe as "lower" class, Michelle. But one will learn a lot more quickly and dance better a lot quicker than being in a "wrong" class.

 

I actually think it is a soul destroying experience to see people being in a class that they are not yet equipped for...they are wasting their time, money and energy completely, because all they are doing is practising so hard in order to fail miserablly (wrong habits being ingrained, hard to correct later), and get themselves and others injured. Only thing such people would save are their misguided ego for being participating (and most often than not getting in the way of others) what they percieve as a right sort of class.

 

Michelle, this is one of the " I hate to admit but my mother was right" type of truth.  If you are still dancing 5 years later, you will have a quite different opinion. I promise you.

 

I must admit that it must be confusing to those from non-ballet background that "general" open class is not so "general". General class means everyone who at least posess the skills required for elementary level class upwards. And elementary level I think is about post grade 5. 

[Moomin]

I wonder whether it is that dancers have not been taught basic etiquette and positioning or whether they are just totally oblivious and unaware of others. The odd slip up happens but if you are continually causing others to have to move or stop an exercise early to accommodate you, something is wrong!

Personally I would not take 'general' to mean above grade 5 (vocational) level. I would take 'general' to be for everyone with a year or two of ballet experience who knew basic terminology and steps, and would expect different levels of the harder exercises to be set to accommodate different levels. As the vast majority of ballet in the uk is based On the major syllabuses it would probably be easier if they just put the grade level or a description of exercises that you should be able to perform at that level and what will be worked on in that class. The class descriptions often seem to be inadequate to make decisions

[Michelle_Richer]

Well Mimi66

 

Best not get too confused as to where to go for ballet, the studio or the motorway.

My original response was to your post about positioning where I see little difference irrespective of what grade you are.

 

You seem to be pre occupied about dancers being in the wrong grade, if that were so they certainly would not be enjoying it and would be inclined to leave or go down a grade, and of course it does happen. I know at least two who have done that, they don’t need to be pushed.

 

I really don’t understand this statement “What is so wrong with being in a beginner's class, if you haven't learned the skill which is required in an elementary level class”, I would have thought you learn elementary skills in an elementary class, otherwise one could argue you learn advanced skills in a beginner class and of course that’s nonsense. Learning is by it nature an incremental process, each time you transition from one level to another it will be more challenging for a while at the beginning and mistakes will be made.

 

I am really amused by the statement “Michelle, this is one of the " I hate to admit but my mother was right" type of truth.  If you are still dancing 5 years later, you will have a quite different opinion. I promise you.”

 

As one from a non-ballet background there appears to be this thing about chronological time. I have seen posting like: after a year or two its advantageous to do a couple of classes a week then moving up to 3 classes a week. I already do that in one day, sometimes more. As it is I'm now, I'm having to restrict my endurance to allow my body to recover, however for me 3 hours / classes a day still appears sustainable rather than my Tuesday peak of 7.5 hours which has taken its toll on my ankles. However I can understand the logic behind allowing time for the body to adapt in the initial stages of ballet training.

 

I would still like to know why my opinion is likely to change in another 5 years?, and yes it is a big if about me still dancing, that depends how my health holds out and not my desire to dance, I was socially dancing along time before I started ballet.

 

Moomin: I am totally unaware in reality that such a problem exists with positioning and collisions, very occasionally it may happen but I would never try and draw an conclusion against an isolated incident

[mimi66]

I wonder whether it is that dancers have not been taught basic etiquette and positioning or whether they are just totally oblivious and unaware of others. The odd slip up happens but if you are continually causing others to have to move or stop an exercise early to accommodate you, something is wrong! [....]

 

 

Moomin,  actually I wondered about that, too.  Sad to think that years of coming to ballet class did not develope their spatial awareness at all.

 

I dare say any large open classes in London (elementary/general upwards) have at least one person like that. Normally we all adjust to accomodate that person by giving them wider space or avoid being in the same group. Ask them, they always say they have no problem with spacing, or worse try to move others becasue others are "in their way" . 

 

Problem is when there are mini-spatial recognition challenged (normally those who has  not enough expetise to asess their ability correctly (overconfident)), they all begin to compete with, no copy that one person in question.  Sadly bad expample tends to appeal more to those less trained eyes. 

 

In the past few years some classes in London have started to turn some dancers who are not ready for that level of class (floor manners included) to leave either at the begininng or at the latest after the barre.  I really think it is sad that teachers now have to resort to this for adult class, but it is necessary for safety reasons.  I sympathise with the teachers who no longer are able to expect common sense from adults to have a realistic expectation of thier current abiltiy. Particularly so when I see some who dare to argue with the teacher when asked to leave, or complain at the reception. 

 

If there are more discussions on class room manners in the forum like this, may be things will be a bit better. We have already discussed the issue about wearing watchs and other jewelleries in the class and hopefully now some people reading this thread realised that it is not a very good idea to wear them. At least that's what I hope. Not perfect, but better.

[Moomin]

You can but try mimi! Some people are unfortunately oblivious not only to the space around them but to the feelings of others who are having to accommodate them so I guess sometimes a teacher does need to step in. I can understand why people would be annoyed to be asked to leave a class that hasn't been accurately described. The only class with 'levels' that I have looked at is the enb one and tbh I wouldn't know from the description what the difference between level 1,2 and 3 actually is. Ok that is a course and so I would just contact them but for a drop in class it may be a last minute decision to attend. If they require a level of technical ability they really need to be a little more specific about it!

[Jan McNulty]

If you don't live in the London area and there is only one adult class available in your vicinity, would that cater for all levels of experience from beginner upwards?

 

It may be much easier to define what level classes are if there is a good choice.

[2dancersmum]

In my area certainly the one class caters for all levels of experience. There are complete beginners alongside those who danced to the higher grades either in their youth or for those in their early twenties not that long ago.

I'm not sure personally that the behaviours described are necessarily only as a result of lack of experience of knowledge of basic etiquette but are also down to the personality of the person involved. In all walks of life you come across the super confident, the -but-it-doesn't -apply-to-me and the concentrators who block out everything around them so I don't see why you wouldn't see the same in a ballet class. And as mimi says the confident person will draw the eye of the less experienced and less confident.

[Michelle_Richer]

The one class caters for all is common in most areas; perhaps it’s necessary to attract sufficient dancers to make it viable. Of course the skills of the teacher to be able to adapt this makes all the difference. In my class this afternoon of about 20dancers, only about four of us did the more advanced option on a couple of corner to corner enchainements.

 

There seem to be a lot of reliance on the word “etiquette”, in our class today we help each other, I would include that in etiquette too, rather than the elitist attitude that you’re not good enough to be in our class because you make mistakes, sounds very much like “you can’t play in my garden”.

 

Recently I have met two separate young ladies in my Salsa class that did ballet as early teens and gave up because of bullying, I ask myself, is this a culture problem stemming from the attitude mentioned above.

 

What has been described is in previous posts sounds very much like blatant bad manners which I have not experienced in any of my classes, but I have experienced a quite different set of bad manners that I am sure down grading would not correct. But then am I oblivious to such behaviour due to my lack of experience with a short chronological time in the ballet world, together with being the bad girl of the forum, I guess that’s the black swan in me.

 

Oh well two classes down today, only rehearsal for our show to go tonight.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Michelle_Richer

[2dancersmum]

I would also include Michelle's "we help each other" as good etiquette for a ballet class but there is obviously a world of difference between a small class that caters for all abilities with the majority being familiar faces and the large open classes in some London studios that mimi and moomin have talked about.  I certainly do not think they are expressing elitist or "bullying" viewpoints by talking about their experiences.  Lack of spatial awareness and consideration can be down to lack of experience and from floundering in a class that is slightly too advanced.  People often do like to be challenged and push themselves but there does need to be common sense also.  Michelle mentions chronological time in the ballet world and I think it should be remembered that you also have the opposite of Michelle (sorry to keep using you as an example) who has lots of experience in a short time frame.  There are also people who may have done 1 class a week for several years, starting out as complete beginners who now see themselves as a higher level than they actually are because they equate years to level.  And as I mentioned in my previous post, personality does come into it as some people are just never wrong.

[Michelle_Richer]

Hi 2dancersmum

 

I’m well aware of the differences of the small mixed ability classes and that of the large open London classes like Pineapple and Danceworks as those have been my classes too until my heal problem last week when I needed to reduce my Tuesday loading significantly from 7.5 hours. But even so I have never seen colliding dancers or dancers getting in the way of other dancers. For that matter I have also attended large open classes at Northern Ballet in Leeds, again that phenomena is not present. Spatial awareness sounds a very grand term; in reality anyone who has socially danced on a crowded dance floor is well aware of it, as your techniques changes completely to that of an open floor.

 

However one thing I have seen at pineapple but not too often, is dancers leave on centre practice where they have had trouble remembering sequences, that could be put down to inexperienced dancers but I would equally suggest the teachers presentation format could be improved too.

 

Here is an interesting etiquette question: Your teacher demonstrate an enchainement, you think she may be demonstrating part of it in error, the rest of the class copy what she is doing without question.

 

Do you raise it with her strait away to prevent other dancers acquiring an inappropriate muscle memory?

 

Do you wait until the class is finished and have a quiet word?

 

Say nothing with the assumption that the teacher is always right?

 

Phone a friend?

 

Ask the audience?

 

That situation happened to me tonight.

[alison]

I wonder whether it is that dancers have not been taught basic etiquette and positioning or whether they are just totally oblivious and unaware of others. The odd slip up happens but if you are continually causing others to have to move or stop an exercise early to accommodate you, something is wrong!

 

Definitely the latter case in one case I remember: we were using a pretty small studio, and there was this one guy who was very ... physically undisciplined, shall we say?  His arms and legs would be going everywhere, and he was totally oblivious to others.  We had barres at 90 degrees to each other round the walls, and if he was in one of the "corner" positions you just left the corner position opposite him empty unless you wanted to get hit by flying arms or legs, say when doing grands battements.  And as for when we got onto the jumps in the centre - well, you basically just reined yourself in to reduce the risk of getting hit.  It was very trying.

[Anna C]

Hi 2dancersmum

 

I’m well aware of the differences of the small mixed ability classes and that of the large open London classes like Pineapple and Danceworks as those have been my classes too until my heal problem last week when I needed to reduce my Tuesday loading significantly from 7.5 hours. But even so I have never seen colliding dancers or dancers getting in the way of other dancers. For that matter I have also attended large open classes at Northern Ballet in Leeds, again that phenomena is not present. Spatial awareness sounds a very grand term; in reality anyone who has socially danced on a crowded dance floor is well aware of it, as your techniques changes completely to that of an open floor.

 

However one thing I have seen at pineapple but not too often, is dancers leave on centre practice where they have had trouble remembering sequences, that could be put down to inexperienced dancers but I would equally suggest the teachers presentation format could be improved too.

 

Here is an interesting etiquette question: Your teacher demonstrate an enchainement, you think she may be demonstrating part of it in error, the rest of the class copy what she is doing without question.

 

Do you raise it with her strait away to prevent other dancers acquiring an inappropriate muscle memory?

 

Do you wait until the class is finished and have a quiet word?

 

Say nothing with the assumption that the teacher is always right?

 

Phone a friend?

 

Ask the audience?

 

That situation happened to me tonight.

If the step or enchainement was a syllabus exercise for an exam, and the teacher's step differed from the book or dvd, my daughter would politely check with the teacher after class (or during if the lesson was private, i.e. one-to-one).

 

If it happened during a non-syllabus class, she would not question the teacher, on the basis that the teacher is qualified, with a great deal more experience than her students. :-)

[taxi4ballet]

My dd says that in open classes the teacher will sometimes deliberately set an enchainement which is different from the norm, so that people cannot rely on their 'muscle memory' and are challenged by really having to think hard about what they are doing.

[mimi66]

If you don't live in the London area and there is only one adult class available in your vicinity, would that cater for all levels of experience from beginner upwards?

 

It may be much easier to define what level classes are if there is a good choice.

 

I would imagine "everyone welcome" open class is technically pitched for beginners+ to  easier elementary  level  contentwise.  Obviously it will depend on who happens to be in that class in that particular day.

 

"Mixed-ability class" would refer to the abilities of the dancers present, not to the level of the class contents.

 

What is beautiful about ballet is there is never an "easy" class, whatever level it is.  In fact, the more experienced (both in chronologically and in substance) dancers take basics very seriously and do not have sort of  issues about not wanting to attend "lower" level classes. Beacuse in any class, there will always be something one will work on and try to be better than one is the day before.

 

In ballet, as in any serious classical art form, the quest for perfection is never ending. (  Wow, sounds so grand, but so true.)

 

In the past year I used to go to beginners class once a week and that really changed the way I dance in my regular class (int.).  Must say during the class it could be a bit depressing as I can see every bits of my faults (alignments, core, use of foot, upperbody, neck... etc) in those slower, simpler exercise.  But the imporvement was phenomenal for someone my age and physical abilities.   

 

Sadly the class was cancelled after the summer and at the moment I am in search of a good beginners' level class... 

 

Well, just an example that it is not a problem (actually most benefitial) for someone to attend a class that is aimed at "lower" level than their normal classes.  The other way round does not work, though.

Edited November 26, 2013 by mimi66

[Anjuli_Bai]

Mimi66 is so right!  A basic class is very difficult and a great learning experience for a more advanced dancer.  Returning to it at intervals gives the dancer time to re-educate both the mind and body about the basic core alignment, structure, - the underlying  ingredients that as time goes by we assume are being done correctly - but may have gotten blurry in the hurry and energy of a more advanced class.

 

When I had the opportunity to take a basic class I found it tiring but satisfying.  I make sure that when I attended such a class that I stood behind those who were at a beginning level - it was their class - I was a guest.  Unless the teacher asked me to demonstrate or otherwise stand in front - or lead a group - I stayed in the background.  I didn't want to distract the others or in any way have them feel intimidated.  I know that sounds posh - but there is a visible difference between someone who has danced ten - fifteen - whatever - years and those who have danced for a 2 or 3 years. 

 

I tried in every way to show them the respect their efforts deserve.