Tag: teacher

5 Ways to Celebrate Your Dance Teachers on #WorldTeachersDay

Dance teachers are so much more than just teachers—never has that been more clear than 2020. They’re choreographers, life coaches, our biggest cheerleaders, and these days they’re flexing their tech-savviness to reach beyond the walls of the studio and provide virtual dance training. This year, World Teachers’ Day means even more than usual, especially for […]

Friday Briefing: Class Etiquette Edition

Here’s a five point friendly reminder to be a stellar student! Give it a read, and apply it to your classes this coming week! 1. Don’t look at the clock. It’s rude. Don’t do it. When you look at the clock, you’re communicating to the teacher that you’re tired of class and ready for it […]

Dear Katie: I Hate My Teacher!

In our “Dear Katie” series, former NYCB soloist Kathryn Morgan answers your pressing dance questions. Have something you want to ask Katie? Email [email protected] for a chance to be featured! Dear Katie, I’m at a really good studio—everyone says it’s the best in the area. But I HATE my teacher. He’s incredibly strict and plays […]

Not the Teacher's Pet

It’s an all-too-common scenario: You’re dying to impress a particular teacher. You want to hear her opinions on your dancing, and apply her corrections to your technique. But no matter how hard you work in class, she barely seems to notice you—because she’s too busy lavishing attention on a single favorite pupil. Favoritism is common, […]

Working One-on-One: What to Expect From Private Lessons

(Photo by Jennifer Verrecchia) When Pennsylvania Ballet corps member Elizabeth Wallace was in seventh grade, she decided to enroll in private lessons with her teachers at Lexington Ballet in Kentucky. “What I needed help with was different from the other girls,” she says. One year later, Wallace placed in the Top 12 at Youth America […]

Guest Who?

Lauren Adams guest-choreographing at Spotlight Dance Works in Chesterfield, MI (Liz Schmidt) These days, it’s common for studio owners to hire guest choreographers—often big industry names like Travis Wall and Joey Dowling—to set pieces on their competition dancers. As a dancer, working with a guest choreographer is both exciting (cool new moves from a dance […]

The Dirt with Victor Smalley

Victor Smalley with students Sammy Small (standing) and Hannah Epstein on “Dance Moms: Miami.” (Scott Gries/courtesy A&E Television Networks, LLC) “I’m exactly the same in real life as I am on the show,” says Victor Smalley of “Dance Moms: Miami.” “For me, it’s all about the kids and showcasing their talents.” While his students certainly […]