DO I HAVE A GOOD BALLET TEACHER?

Question

so as I've moved dance schools at the beginning of this year, I've been thinking a lot lately about whether I like it there. One of the girls are the centre of attentions and I never get any attention during my class. I got a spot in the junior show as the lead character and since I got that, she's been giving me a lot of time there. So it's like I have a limit of ten compliments and I use them up before my class!! I feel invisible in my class. And to be honest, I'm the 2nd/3rd best out of nine in the class ( as one of my friends say ). In one of our routines, we had to do fouettés. It was he first time we had done them all year but I'd never been taught them. I'd learnt them a few weeks earlier briefly but I can't get the hang of them! The others had known them for years. She asked if I could do them,. I said no but I'd love to try but she said no and gave me this way too easy combo at the back! I felt downgraded. From the front and centre to the back. It really bugged me!! My old teacher (since the school shut) is doing private lessons somewhere else nearby and asked if anyone wanted them the other day via Facebook. She was part of the royal ballet and she used to push me and I'd improve faster. Is my current teacher a good teacher? And should I get private lessons from my old teacher as well?? Help!!

Zhops · Accepted Answer

Georgie, it all depends on what you want from studying ballet.  If you like the social aspect, enjoy learning routines in class to perform in a recital and don't really care about becoming the best ballet dancer you can be, then stay where you are.  If you want to spend your parents' money on privates with your old teacher in the hope that you may improve, then that is between you and your parents (although it does beg the question why you left your old teacher if you felt you were improving with her).  On the other hand I would answer no, you do not at present have a good ballet teacher.  Compliments are useless-- what you need are corrections if you want to improve.  If this teacher is wasting valuable class time on teaching routines you will not learn actually to dance.  You should never feel invisible in class.  A good teacher has the eyes of an eagle to spot things that need correction, and without corrections you are just throwing your money away.

Robyn · Answer

I was going to say maybe your teacher doesn't give you corrections because you're good and don't need them, but her giving you an easy combo in the back instead of letting you try the fouettes isn't very nice. I would understand if she let you try them, decided you wouldn't be able to get them in time and THEN gave you the combo in the back, but she didn't even let you try, and that would bother me. I would consider doing the private lessons personally, because I think it would really help you improve over just being with the teacher you're with now.

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DO I HAVE A GOOD BALLET TEACHER?

2 Answers