| What does your child want from ballet? Would tap | | | | Size of classes: for the beginning levels (i.e., |
| dancing, karate, or jazz be a satisfying alternative, | | | | younger children) there should not be classes over |
| or does it have to be ballet? Ballet is a traditional, | | | | approximately 15 students without a teacher's |
| technical form requiring commitment and discipline. | | | | assistant, or the students will not get much |
| Sometimes it isn't fun! But many fall in love with it. | | | | individual attention. |
| What are your needs? Must the studio be close | | | | Hard Floors: floors set directly over concrete have |
| to home, near the public school, within walking | | | | no give, thus creating the potential for injury from |
| distance, or could you go to the best ballet studio | | | | falls or repeated hard landings from jumps. This |
| you can find? What will you look for if there are | | | | creates stress and wear and tear on on delicate |
| several studios you can check out? The following | | | | developing joints and soft tissues. Sprung floors |
| discussion of the most basic requirements to | | | | are the best, which is wood on wood supports. |
| good, safe, ballet teaching, will be helpful to | | | | Body style favoritism in teachers: this can be |
| parents searching for a good studio. | | | | devastating to your child's self-esteem. Any body |
| A ballet regimen can be used for a weight loss | | | | type can learn, and benefit from ballet classes. |
| plan, a childcare outlet, health maintenance, or | | | | This also applies if you are an adult looking for |
| relief for a troubled teenager. It takes a special | | | | classes, beginner or otherwise. Ballet endows any |
| love, and can fulfill many requirements of the soul. | | | | physique with grace, strength, and fluidity of |
| Many ballet teachers, in glamorous and famous | | | | motion. Unfortunately the professional world of |
| settings, or small and out of the way regions, | | | | ballet is affected by fads and fashions of body |
| work just to provide an outlet for this broad | | | | shape just like high fashion. Children studying any |
| spectrum of our needs. | | | | kind of athletics should be encouraged to |
| Locations and appearances: professional dance | | | | appreciate themselves, and the wonderment of |
| studios tend to be in older buildings, which have | | | | their human body and their abilities, just as they |
| large rooms with undivided spaces, and sprung | | | | are, and just as they are not. |
| wooden floors instead of floors set over | | | | Professional ballet requires some very specific |
| concrete. A teacher trained in a professional | | | | physical attributes. Some teachers will praise a |
| school would choose such a place over a newer | | | | student's classwork relative to the assets they |
| facility in a fashionable district with smaller rooms | | | | were born with. This leaves all others left behind. |
| and a concrete floor. If the neighborhood is safe, | | | | A good teacher will teach towards every |
| don't judge a a studio by its lack of "chic". A | | | | student's actual efforts, concentration, and |
| teacher who chooses an older, low-rent district | | | | physical progress, be it made because of, or in |
| studio may be providing pupils with safer flooring, | | | | spite of, their physiques. |
| better musical accompianment, and the luxury of | | | | Corrections and teachers' attitudes: a teacher's |
| smaller classes. If premises have been built | | | | positive attitude is essential. Difficult routines can |
| especially for dance studios, the best amenities | | | | still be enjoyed, as they produce accomplishment. |
| are likely in place. | | | | Every student should be corrected in every class, |
| Music: today's economy will not allow all teachers | | | | and every student should be noted when |
| to have live piano accompaniment. While definitely | | | | improvements are seen. A demanding but |
| preferable, it will be reflected in the fees you pay. | | | | compassionate person produces the best results. |
| Recorded music for classes does not necessarily | | | | The technical details of good teaching is - well - |
| mean lower teaching standards. | | | | technical! More guidelines to come in future articles. |