Let’s Talk Dance Let’s Talk Dance
Dear Moms and Dads:
I understand we have "issues" regarding the placement for your daughters for the fall. I will try to clarify for you all in an effort to quiet the waters. I am writing to you both together because, a) you are friends and b) the girls are kind of "tag teamed" as far as dance goes because of friendship, dance ability and carpool, etc.
The two items above are great but they also create problems as children get older and their individual strengths begin to show. What begins as two friends taking dance together for fun, soon progresses to a point where these situations surface more often than not.
Both girls have great potential and are very gifted, each in her own right. They are stronger in tap and jazz than in ballet and this is where we have a problem. Both girls could handle the next level in tap and jazz for the most part, however, they would be little fish in a VERY big pond. Many times I leave students back one level so that they can gain confidence that is otherwise not apparent in their class performance.
The problem with your girls comes in with age and apparent ability in ballet; and the ease of picking up material quickly. Next year our ballet III class will be taught by our upper level teacher. She is a stringent teacher and makes no allowances for things such as lack of turn out or not using the feet, tardiness, or absences. For this reason I hesitate to move anyone up in ballet for the coming year as I am not sure they are ready. This is why I put a Ballet II/III class on the schedule to make a place for those in the "gap."
Additionally we have to deal with a scheduling problem. With teacher availability and other scheduling factors, the time for that class at present is in conflict with another class. Therefore in order for your girls to take the appropriate ballet class, they need to stay back in a level II jazz and tap class another year. This will not hurt them...it is back to that "big fish in a little pond!" idea. It can be an amazing year for gaining self-confidence, leadership skills and building performance energy without being "squashed out by the other dancers."
Another maturing factor for a dance student is learning that there is NO CLASS THAT IS NOT CHALLENGING - it is that self-motivation factor and the attitude that there is always something to be learned that makes a good dancer...outstanding. If a child is bored or not challenged in class, it generally means they are not applying themselves and pushing themselves. You don't get ahead by acquiescing when something is simple but instead by attacking it as if it were the best thing you will ever do - THAT shows a teacher that you are ready to move on. You can never think you are too good to learn in a class - that is exactly when you stop learning and start backtracking!
I try to take all students as individually as possible and I realize the girls may have a problem with the placement of other dancers. But not everyone blossoms at the same pace and not everyone's gifts are the same. This is why I do not like to compare dancers or make decisions based on other students. No one should ride another's coat-tail nor should a child stay back because of a friend. Always rely on your studio philosophy and mission statement to clarify your director's placement decisions.