How to be a Great Student

3 May 2007 - 2:28am — Miss Cath

Being Corrected in Class
If you feel that your dance teacher is correcting you a lot, don't take it personally. You should actually feel good! It means that your teacher took time to watch you specifically and that she wants you to be an even better dancer. You don't want to continue to keep doing the wrong thing, do you? You can start to feel bad when your teacher stops correcting you. No one is perfect, and even professional dancers have to be corrected. Most teachers try to correct in ways that don't make you feel embarrassed. They were once in your position.

Classroom Etiquette
Classroom etiquette is a very important part of the dance learning environment. Show the teacher and students the same respect you give at your regular school. This means being quiet and not talking in between exercise and being attentive when your teacher explains exercises. Also, do not dance around the room while another group is dancing. This is very distracting both to the teacher and the dancers. Wait your turn patiently and go over the steps so you don't make any mistakes when you get out there and dance. Simple things like this help class go faster and you will be able to move onto more advanced things quicker. If you can't make it to dance class one day, let your teacher know. It is not always possible but a quick email or text lets your teacher know what is going on and that you care.

Making Mistakes on Stage
The worst thing you can do in the middle of a performance when you mess up is to stop dancing, change your feet, or something like that. No one in the audience is going to know you have the wrong foot until you change them, and then they will say to themselves, that girl doesn't know what she's doing. Keep going with what you are doing; don't draw attention to yourself. If you look confident in what you are doing, people will think that you are doing the right thing.

Correct Way to Use the Barre

The exercises you do at the barre are meant to help you find your balance. As you know, most things become harder when you do them in the centre. When you do combinations at the barre, every so often lift your hand off to see if you could balance without it. You'll be able to tell real fast if your weight is balanced or not. Always try to just lightly have your fingertips resting on the barre.