Friday. 8.27.04 12:41 pm
1 Remember to always keep straight when you are in the ballet class. The teacher loves seeing her/his students keeping their posture perfect, just like a ballerina. Maybe in the beginning you will keep forgetting, but don't worry, if you keep doing it you will get into the habit.
2 Smile when dancing. Always look happy and graceful while dancing. The teacher will be very happy. You want her to know that you are enjoying the class.
3 Don't dance like a robot! Relax and most of all HAVE FUN! If you have noticed, most ballerinas look so soft and light when they are dancing.
4 When dancing keep shoulders back and down, even if you are tired.
5 stretch before a class, so you can be warmed up. You will be able to keep your leg higher and if you stretch very well, you won't feel stiff after the class.
6 STRETCH EVERY SINGLE day in order to improve flexibility and strength. This is very important, because although people think that ballet doesn't require much flexibility, they are wrong. It is easier for someone who is flexible to do certain exercises, than for someone who isn't flexible.
7 When dancing try and imagine yourself in front of an audience. Believe me that helps! It makes you perform better.
8 Try not to forget to POINT your toes and stretch your legs very well when you are supposed to. Teachers always know if you are pointing your toes or not. Trust me, it looks VERY ugly if you don't point your toes. Remember…you can’t point your feet to much.
9 Keep a notebook in your ballet bag, so you can write down the corrections your teacher told you. This helps you remember stuff and this way you can improve A LOT! If you write stuff down then you can practise at home and next time you have a class you will know your exercises very well.
10 LISTEN to the music when you are dancing. Dance WITH the music. If the music is fast then DON'T dance slow. It looks awful when you don't go with the music. You are also supposed to feel the music.
11 Try and keep your balance while doing certain exercises. Balance is hard to have, but if you practise, you will be able to keep it! Imagine that there is an invisible string pulling you from your head. That always works when you want to keep your balance
12 At home practise the exercises your teacher gave you. Do pirouettes (sp?) everywhere. My teacher told me that you have to practice them every day!
13 Try to avoid chatting with your friends while having a class. The teacher will get annoyed. Especially when the teacher is thinking of a new exercise to give you, KEEP QUIET! She/He is trying to think.
14 NEVER say the word: "I can't do this". You can do everything when you set your mind to it. You don't want your teacher thinking that you give up easily. It might be difficult to do a certain exercise, but if you practise you will be able to do it in no time.
15 Don't break any rules your school has, for example: don't take water in your class, wear proper ballet clothes and always put your hair in a bun
16 Always show that you are interested in ballet and that you want to learn, because if you are always bored then the other students in the class will think you are boring and you might influence them. They might ignore you! If your teacher hears you complain all the time, she/he will think you are not interested in ballet.
17 Don't be scared to ask your teacher questions. A teacher loves it when she/he sees her/his students asking questions and being interested in the lesson
18 When doing exercises don't always copy the others. Try and remember the exercises, so the teacher knows you know them and you have been listening to everything he/she said. If you don't know the exercises ask a friend or teacher before the lesson. Don't copy from other because the others will get annoyed.
19 Put yourself at the front of the barre. This will force you to know the exercise because there will be no one in front of you to watch. Eventually you'll be able to pick up on things faster.
20 If there is someone in your class who is better than you and can do everything perfectly, don't say to yourself: it is not fair that she can do it. Why does she get to be so perfect when I am so bad at everything?? Instead say: I bet she had to practise very hard to do that, so if I practise I bet I could do it better than her?
21 My teacher says that if you sweat at the end of the lesson it means that you have worked hard. If you don't, then try harder. So make it your goal to sweat after every ballet class because then you know you have worked hard.
22 Stretch at the end of the ballet lesson. Even if everyone else doesn't want to stretch, go and stretch on yourself. A lot of people on dance.net are posting that they don't like stretching at the end of the lesson because the others will think that they are showing off. If this is your case then ignore them. Get into a corner and practise your splits even if you are flat down on all three. After a while the others will get used to you stretching after class and they will find it normal.
23 In between exercises don't just rest and sit down. I was told that you are not allowed to sit down in class. Try breathing and stay put except if your teacher asks you to move of course.
24 If your teacher tells you where to put your head in each exercise don't ignore her/him. Do it. TRUST ME. Once I was looking at some girls dancing and they kept looking in the mirror all the time when they were supposed to be putting their head in the corner or when they were supposed to be looking at their hands. It looked REALLY ugly. You look more graceful when you are looking in the right place.
25 Most importantly don't miss any classes. If you do, ask your friends what they did in the last class and ask them to show you any new exercises.
26 If your teacher gives you a correction, try your best to do it. Don’t just nod and wait until the next exercise begins. Make sure you have mastered the exercise she corrected you on or at least make sure your teacher is looking at you trying to master it. If she/he sees how much you care about corrections she/he will give you more and then you will improve and be perfect!
27 Try remembering every correction your teacher gives you so you can write it down in your notebook and then you will not forget it.
28 There are many people here on dance.net, who complain about other students in their ballet class correcting them. You might think they are doing it just because they want to show that they are little-miss-perfect or something, but who cares. Listen to every correction and if you think they are right then keep the correction in your mind.
29 NEVER go to class untidy or with messy hear, or without your ballet clothes. Then your teacher will think you don't care about class. If you forget your leotard or something apologise or try and find someone you can borrow.
30 When you are in the changing rooms ask your friends to repeat some new exercises with you, so you can remember them for the next lesson. If they are not interested ask your teacher.
31 If you have any time off ballet, try improving. Let's say it is summer holidays. Practise and home and set up some goals and try to achieve them. This is the perfect time to improve.
32 If there is someone in your class or in your studio you admire, try to see what you admire about them and then try to be like them. For example: if one girl in your class has very strong legs, try working on your strength. See the positive points of the dancers you admire and try to use them as well.
33 Hydrate yourself properly everyday. You will be more flexible and have more to give when you're not unhealthily dying of thirst. Get in the habit now when you're not in a classroom all day. Drink 8-12 glasses of water per day, more if it's super hot and you're exercising tons. Believe me this works. It not only keeps you cooler it also increases your flexibility in some way. I can't dance if I am dying of thirst.
34 When doing things in groups watch the other groups and listen to and apply the corrections even if they aren't directed at you. This will really help you improve.
35 If there is room in your ballet class when you are doing an exercise in groups a cross the classroom, there's nothing wrong with going with more than one groups. If space is limited master the combination in the back.
36 Always lift up and out of your knees and hips with your inner thighs even if you are just standing there because then the teacher can see that you have engaged all your muscles and are working properly, not just doing the exercise any old how.
37 Before the class try going over the new combinations and stuff so the teacher can see you want to know them perfectly. If you have any questions of a combination you learned in the last lesson, don't hesitate to ask your teacher. She will probably think that you are interested in knowing the combinations even before the class started.
38 Never block a teacher's view or walk in front of the mirror when people are dancing. It is really annoying.
39 When the teacher is busy doing something, or thinking, or has left the class, don't just walk around doing nothing. Stretch a bit, or redo the combinations or try and master stuff you haven't completely mastered yet.
40 When a teacher makes a correction to anyone show her that you understand it by doing it the correct way. The teacher might not have seen you if you did the same mistake, so she won't correct you. She isn't sure if you can do it, so show it to her.
41 If you come late to class, this is what you do:
1) Wait until the combination is over and then walk to your place
2) Tell your teacher why you're late and apologise
3) Don't join in what the other dancers are doing right away, stretch and do some plies on your own first (this is if you get there after plies).
42 Do not where any jewellery except small stud earrings to class.
43 Focus your eyes when you dance, don't let them wander.
44 Go to the bathroom and get a drink BEFORE class, teachers hate when students need to go to the bathroom during class. Although it might happen to you once (wanting to go to the bathroom, I mean), try not to repeat it again
45 Always do your best and put your full effort into class, teachers care so much more about your effort than if you can do a combination properly or not. Teachers always love seeing their students trying their best in class.
46 Try arriving at the class as early as possible so you can stretch and you don’t have to rush to get ready for class.
47 Never chew gum to class. All teachers hate it when their students are chewing gum during the lesson. It is also dangerous.
48 Try showing your best side. Pretend you are at an audition or you are at an exam or that you have to be chosen by a lot of girls to play in this perfect ballet show and that you have to try your very best to get the place. Don't moan when your teacher makes you do something you don't want to.
49 Raise your hand before asking a question and make sure the question is relevant with what you are doing in the ballet class.
50 I am sure most of you know that when switching sides while doing an exercise you have to turn toward the barre. If the exercise is finished don't sigh loudly or say: thank god that exercise it finished? Breathe and stay in the ending position for several seconds.
51Don't wait for the others to begin the exercise. They probably don't know when to begin. You are supposed to know when the music is ready to start.
52 If you are doing centre exercises and you get mixed up or do a mistake, don't just stand there and wait with your hands crossed, look at what the others are doing and continue, even if you might find it difficult to do some steps.
53 When someone is new in your ballet class try taking the chance to teach them what you have learned until now in the other classes. The teacher will probably be so impressed by what you are doing.
54 If the teacher has to leave the class and accidentally leaves the music on try repeating the combinations, even if the music isn't for the combination you have just done. If you know what combination the music is for, practise it so you can be ready for it when the teacher comes. She/he will be very impressed if she/he comes in and sees you trying to do the next combination even if she/he isn’t there to tell you.
55 If your ribbon accidentally comes off or something, go to the side of the class and as quickly as you can fix it.
56 Usually at the end of the class you have to do a reverence, so do it with a big smile on your face, showing how much you enjoyed the class.
57 Always be nice to the others in you ballet class, even if you don't particularly like them. Don't fight with people in your class or in your studio. Not only will it create a bad atmosphere in your studio it will upset your teacher. The last thing a teacher wants is her/his students fighting.
58 In your dance bag make sure you have everything you need for class. It doesn’t hurt bringing an extra pair of leotard or an extra pair of tights just in case something happens to yours or even if someone forgot his, so they have to borrow yours.
59 Never ask your teacher: what time it is??It annoys all the teachers because they think you can't wait until class is over.
60 If you hate an exercise don't say out loud: this exercise is my worst?
61 Try your best in all the exercises even if you don't like some of them.
62 After the lesson, if you can't remember a combination then ask your teacher. She/he will be really pleased to know that you are interested in the combinations and that you don't want to forget anything.
63 Once I was watching a lesson and most of the girls were looking at themselves in the mirror to check if they are pretty or if their hair isn't nice or something. Lol. Don't do that! Looks are the last thing you should think about while you are dancing or having a lesson.
Categories: You should know [t]
