BALLET BALLET BALLET!

It was no secret growing up that I was not a "prima-ballerina" . Ballet was never my favorite but I knew if I wanted to do any other types of dance I had to take ballet. As I grew older it got worse, I was always short and ballerinas were tall, I was muscular and stocky, ballerinas were tall and lanky. I knew it would never be realistic for me to be a ballerina but that doesn't mean I didn't work my butt off in class.

I constantly preach to my kids about how important ballet is and how I regret not taking it as serious as I could have. My studio owner would have different ballet teachers come in from all over to teach us and I was to take atleast 3 hours of ballet a week. (Unless my friends and I cut out and hid) . If I could go back and do it over I would.

I can see the difference in the kids who take ballet and those who don't. I can really see the difference in kids that work hard in ballet and take it serious and those that don't. This week and next I am subbing a couple of ballet classes while their ballet teacher is away and although I was never the star of swan lake I do have a lot of ballet knowledge. My body is killing from all the plies, and arms and releves etc. I totally forgot how much ballet takes out of you and I am not the 16 year old dancer I once was.

It was so much fun yelling at "my" kids that I have in contemporary, jazz, even hip hop. Its no secret that I'm loud, I blame it on my italian side and being from New York. For whatever reason most of my more advanced students do better under pressure (me yelling) than when I'm quiet. I'm not yelling because I'm mad or fustrated I'm yelling because it gives them that little push to go that extra mile. I hope they know its all out of love.

I don't want them to make the same mistake I did growing up with ballet classes. I want them to remember that the only thing they are going to get out of class is exactly what they put into it. Also, I'm teaching all next week so get ready ! ;-)

Its been a while

Wow has it been a while ! I forgot my email and password for my blogging account and couldn't get in and then eventually gave up. But now I'm back and itching to write.

One of my students and recent situations inspired me to start ranting and raving on here again. I've been teaching this young girl for about a year and a half now. As a dance teacher the way I see it a lot of the time is, you either have it or you don't. This girl HAS it. From last year to this year the amount of improvement in her technique, her drive, her passion, the fire in her eyes and her self confidence has gone from 0 to 10 in what seems like overnight. 

Lately a lot of the kids have been going on auditions for the local performing arts highschool, summer programs, plays, etc .etc .the list goes on . She recently went to one audition and came back telling me how good she felt about her self and finally bragged to me about how she "hit 5 turns" and "my leaps were perfect". I was so happy to see this girl so proud of herself because for a while she has been her worst critic. I was so proud of her and happy for her I had to hold back tears when she was telling me. Her second audition went well, she got a call back and said she felt good about it. We heard the news today that she did not make it this time. :-(

My heart is breaking for her and she hasn't even told me yet. I want to ask the people, "what are you looking for?" I want to tell them, "give her a chance, she won't let you down". But it doesn't work that way. I want to yell at them until they see just how amazing she truly is. Not only as a dancer but as a human being. If only they saw what I see day in and day out of that studio. But I don't run things.

I try so hard to teach my kids to keep their heads up, you're not always going to win, you're not always going to get the part and you're not always going to be the best. I want to prepare them so much that when they see how cruel the artistic world can be they are one step ahead of everybody else. But I can't, I can't be there for every audition, I can't be there telling the judges she's just nervous let her do it again. I can't do anything but prepare them the best way I know how and hope for the best.

If she could only see what I see when I watch her dance. She's a joy to teach and watch. I love how much she's grown, she makes me proud to be her teacher. I love how when she nails a combo in my older kids classes, they look at me with that "holy crap" face. I love how when the younger students stare in the doorway, their eyes light up when they see her dance. I even love when students her own age in beginner classes say, "I wish I danced like her". I just want her and all of my students to know that not getting in is not the end of the world, just a crappy day. Tomorrow is a new one and your futures are incredibly bright.