Just Dance It!
On receiving the Dance Library of Israel's Hall of Fame award on March 20, 2006, David Howard had this to say about teaching ballet: "Class is a very special time for the student and teacher." Quoting Margot Fonteyn he continued, "Class is a pleasurable experience. It's not difficult, but you can make it impossible."
This simple statement embraces a durable philosophy. Teachers and students can feel tense, anxious and defeated in dance class. Young dancers can be overwhelmed by their emotions. Teachers have a tricky task. They watch a varied group of students attempt well-defined movements. They must demand attention, focus and discipline while supporting their students' efforts.
Howard, with his non-stop teaching and coaching schedule is a model of professionalism for young dancers and their teachers. Well-known as an international master coach, Howard travels throughout the United States to work with small dance academies and runs his own yearly, comprehensive program in New York, A Month of Sundays, held in January 2006 at The New Dance Group Arts Center.
Speaking about her six year involvement with the master classes and workshops that are sponsored by the David Howard Foundation and the Harkness Foundation for Dance, Eleanor D'Antuono describes Howard as having "a huge generosity of spirit." She loves working with him because "he gives so much of himself, more than 100%. For me it's inspiring."
The program exposes young students to dance stars such as D'Antuono, who started with the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo when she was 14 and danced with American Ballet Theater (ABT) for 20 years. It gives vibrant dancers currently with ABT, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet an opportunity to develop their teaching skills. Students from studios in Delaware, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania travel to the workshop. Barbara Mullen, the director of the Londonderry Dance Academy, says it provides "exposure to the way other students are taught, how many classes they take and how they spend their dance school year." Her students "love the opportunity to visit New York" but also look forward to taking classes with twelve different teachers in the course of one month.
Meeting from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on four consecutive Sundays helps ballet hopefuls like Nora McGinley Hence pull through the "depths of winter," her mother Dr. Vicki A. McGinley states. "Nora will dance every second she can and when "Nutcracker" ends, there is a lull." Nora concurs that, "the corrections from the teachers were very valuable and I learned new choreography, new dance forms, experienced Pilates and [learned] injury prevention" skills.
Students from First State Academy of Dance in Delaware leave at 5 a.m. Owner Michele Xiques Torgerson said, "The reward for their dedication is that they learn from some of the best dance teachers in the world." Michelle Burrell, director of the Asbury Park Technical Academy of Dance elaborated. She said Howard, "Gave [her students] so many tips on turns and how to use their body to achieve stronger technique." In D'Antuono's variations class Burrell's students strengthened their pointe work and soaked in the vast knowledge of this true star. D'Antuono told me, "I love to teach, the same way I love to dance. It's extremely rewarding." Plus, she feels, students always come away with at least one important lesson after their contact with professionals.
Erika Silverman of New Jersey has danced since she was three. Her mother Jodi told me she "loves the ballet and everything involved." Erika, a student of Carolyn Santinicola in Closter, will attend ABT's Summer Intensive. She barely contained her enthusiasm about the partnering class taught by ABT corps de ballet dancers Jared Matthews and Yuriko Kajiya. "I have never been lifted before and I loved the experience! I waited so long to be partnered and the day finally arrived. I got a big kiss from Jared and Yuriko and was turned and lifted by the men of ABT." Corps member Bo Busby and Studio Company members Thomas Forster and Brooklyn Mack participated this year.
Matthews and Kajiya are the kind of working professionals that can make an incredible difference in the perspective of a 12-year-old. Matthews, who debuted this year in "Rodeo" as the Head Wrangler and in "Romeo and Juliet" as Benvolio, dances with elegance and flair. Kajiya's strength and delicacy make her a versatile dancer, tackling the Pas de Trois in Swan Lake and leading Twyla Tharp's taxing "In the Upper Room." They are typical of the dancers Howard gathers for this program. Technically superb and expressive they are accessible to the students. They enjoy the challenge of teaching. Close to the 12-20 age range of the participants they inspire by sharing their spotlight.
Erika also singled out her experiences with ABT Principal Irina Dvorovenko. "She was beautiful and [her class] was the hardest I ever took." Former New York City Ballet dancer Heather Hawk was a "favorite." Hawk was a young student of Howard at his West 61st Street studio even while training at the School of American Ballet. She says she loves teaching young people. Between guest artist appearances with the Lyric Opera and Dances Patrelle, she teaches at Studio Maestro. Hawk's athleticism and musicality is a model for students. She works hard to fulfill the ideal of providing that "special time."
Stephen Behan from Long Island has commuted into the city for A Month of Sundays for the past two years. Behan finds Howard to be a patient teacher who also gave him "great advice . . . that I need for my future career." Participants and parents alike stated that they are comforted "knowing that Sharon Wagner was running and organizing the program." Wagner, a native New Yorker and former dancer with the Metropolitan Opera works with Howard and the Foundation to seek the best and greatest variety of instructors for the master classes and seminars. A liaison for Howard, Wagner provides carryover after the program. She is a terrific resource for teachers and families with her personal guidance and critical judgment.
Howard's experience with cabaret and musicals, like Bob Fosse's "Little Me" sharpened his acuity of what dancers need to broaden their skills and talents. This year's Month featured Davis Robertson a versatile dancer and choreographer. Robertson appeared on Broadway in Twyla Tharp's "Movin' Out" as well as in Robert Altman's backstage film "The Company." Robertson's vibrant jumps and turns have an immediate effect on observers. Loving improvisation he is another rousing representation for students looking to experience a Tharp or David Parsons phrase. Included in this year's roster of instructors was Diana Laurenson who appeared in "Sweet Charity" and "Gypsy," teaching Fosse Musical Theater and Robert Garland, former principal dancer with Dance Theater of Harlem, who taught the demanding technique of modern dance pioneer Lester Horton.
While a stickler for discipline, form and musicality in ballet, Howard is not afraid of America's other favorite dance genre. At Broadway Dance Center during the end of his 6:00 Intermediate ballet class, students waiting for the 7:30 Hip Hop class groove to Howard's uncanny, driving, rhythmical allegro combinations. Jazz, hip hop and funk dancers take Howard's class. Likewise, he believes in rounding out a student's skill and includes classes in these techniques in the program. Jamie Jackson worked the kids and they benefited from his background which included projects with Babyface, Stevie Wonder and P. Diddy. Now that's a spectrum for students to ponder. Dvorovenko to P. Diddy, ABT to "Fosse."
Erika's mother, watching during the first day, was "thrilled to see the diverse group of teachers and different styles" being taught. The teachers, the classes, the friends and the accompanist are important components of this program. Howard's own gift to ballet pedagogy is his promotion of body awareness. He includes classes in Pilates training, this year taught by Cynthia Khoury, and a seminar on Injury Prevention presented by Andrea Zujko, P.T. of Westside Dance Physical Therapy. Howard's exploration and study of how the body moves informs his well planned class which epitomizes working the body from the inside out.
Howard's classes are never anatomical lessons. He doesn't spend a lot of time bogged down in minutiae of a "do this, do that" type. An impeccable and steady pulse is sustained from the beginning to the end. His clear, logical and definitive class choreography heightens and expands rather than strains the classical form. Through a generosity of teaching he provides students with a continuous opportunity to practice, practice, practice. The formal structure of ballet class is freshened because he teaches while students are actually dancing. In providing this forum for young students, their teachers and an astounding array of veteran and current dancers, he embraces others but fosters his own brand of teaching whose motto could be: Just Dance It!
To get more information on A Month of Sundays 2007 program contact Sharon Wagner at wags@rcn.com.