So You Think You Can Teach?

Sometime ago Madame asked me if I had done any teaching yet. First I was confused, then I was floored - she was talking about teaching ballet! I was almost too quick to answer "no, good heavens no.." But, as Madame had started the conversation, I dared to say that it had at some point crossed my mind. You know, teach a basic class to adult beginners. Still, I was blushing as I said it - I had always thought that any professional teacher would consider my potential teaching ambitions presumptuous. But it was Madame who was asking, and she seemed both sincere and serious about it. Even better, she thought I could do it. Teach ballet!

Dear Readers, I haven't gone crazy. I know there's a difference between giving class and teaching class. I could never match the skill and experience of someone who has had vocational training and  or a professional career performing. Not even if take class for another twenty years. Then again, not every student needs a master teacher at every level! There are many fine teachers who have had only a brief career on the stage. My first teacher was trained in classical ballet, but performed as a contemporary jazz dancer. Still she was a very elegant ballerina, in every way. But how great a dancer do you have to be, to be a good teacher?

A master teacher can be in her seventies, and poke you with a stick do drive a correction home. She will also have many decades worth of experience, authority, a keen eye and a real passion to pass on her knowledge. A great teacher will know which buttons to push and when. She will coach, guide, motivate and inspire her students. That and knowing the entire ballet vocabulary, its steps and sauts, the technique, musicality, history and artistry involved. A good teacher is able to analyze and deconstruct steps, to teach progressively, and to give her students the tools to understand and advance. Knowing all this, I have tremendous respect for my teachers.

Looking at the list of qualities and requirements I just wrote, I can't really see myself teaching ballet. Not seriously, not when there are so many other and more capable dancers/teachers around. I feel like I would be cheating potential students out of something. Then again, I have not been dancing for the past twenty years without ever engaging my brain.. Much of my ballet-education has been a back-and-forth dance between different schools, teachers and levels. When I was allowed to to challenge myself in a higher level class, I knew to stay in the back and not ask any questions. Instead I watched the teacher and everyone else and worked out the steps by myself. The good old "fail again, fail better", or the way of trial-and-error - those were my methods of learning. And still are, to a degree. Luckily, I also have the best teachers to show me better ways!

There are some things that I've figured out over the years, which could be helpful to others as well. Sometimes teachers don't (immediately) understand why certain steps or sequences might confuse us adult dancers. In diagonale, it is not always the new jump that is being taught, but the steps preceding it. What is the beginning position, which foot goes first and how do I get from A to B? For those teachers who have gone the route of talented bunhead - vocational student - professional ballerina, ballet is imprinted on their brain. As natural as walking. For adult students, it can be like learning to walk all over again. Possible, but challenging in unexpected ways. I have been there.

Long post short, it is unlikely that there will be a teaching career anywhere in my future. I live in Big City, and there are enough ballet teachers around as it is. Our schools prefer trained professionals anyway (which is good). Although, if I had the chance, I would love to try it sometime. Just between friends and fellow adult dancers. I think teaching would be a great learning experience.