Guest fastfeets Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 I'm going to be teaching an adult beginner class in the mornings once we have adult students interested in morning classes. I'm so excited about this! The school where I train has a single evening beginner class, but very few students. I take classes with the teens...which i don't mind at all. I love the students...they're loads of fun So, I mentioned that when I first moved to town last year I looked for morning adult classes, and there were none...still arent. Mentioned also that some moms cannot take time away from family and home for the evening class, and maybe a morning class could be offered. The owner and my teacher said basically "good idea...you teach it." For now it will be just beginners, and as they advance, or if I get students more advanced then we'll offer intermediate adult ballet, but this is just such a neat thing! I'm going to get to help people realize a childhood dream they may have missed out on, or help them regain skills they lost over long breaks (like me!!)...or just help a mom who's spent the last 10 years being "just mom" regain poise and a sense of self. This is really wonderful!! I'm a bit nervous, of course. I've got to prepare a curriculum and make sure it's challenging enough to keep them wanting more, but simple enough to be attainable....(or just get an outright Vaganova or RAD syllabus and follow that....;)) At any rate, it'll take time to put together the information and form the classes, so it's not starting immediately...there's always the chance we'll find little to no interest...but even if not, there's still that fact that I was offered the teaching position. Wow.... This is where I was heading with my dancing, aside from, and in addition to perhaps performing with the small company that's forming locally (contemporary and classical ballet company), so it's almost like reaching some amazing goal...well, actually it IS reaching a goal. (though I'd not take on any more advanced classes for some long while....very not ready for that). Where's that Champagne Sofa..... Quote Link to comment
Xena Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Fastfeets, thats great.. I would absolutely love to teach beginner adults...one day Maybe you have mentioned this on another area of the board, but could you give us a little insight into your background and the journey to get to this point. Not too long winded, I'm just interested from a teaching aspect. e.g. have you had to take any special teaching classes? go on courses? how long has it taken you to get to this point? things like that. I'm sure we are all interested in it. Also, (and maybe you have reasons not to tell), but where are you located. Maybe there are some potential adult beginners who may be interested?? Xena x Quote Link to comment
Sulan Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Congratulations! I just wanted to say that, as an adult beginner who has had so many teachers who just wanted to collect our money and get through the class with minimal effort, its so nice to hear from someone who is excited to teach us! Quote Link to comment
Guest fastfeets Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Xena, I started ballet when I was 4 and danced til I was 19. I was in a company til I injured my knee very badly. Rather than go right back, I took a decade off. Makes perfect sense, yes? ;) I went back to dancing on a whim and fell back in love with it. I've been training at an advanced level again for about 18 months. I taught little ones back when I was dancing professionally, but I can't quite count that as experience teaching adults... Overall, I've had 20 years of dance training (though the years off rather detracts from overall numbers, imo), but I haven't always wanted to teach. That desire came with my rediscovered love of dance. While I plan to audition for the company here next spring, I still see long term involvement in dance as an instructor. In addition, being 34 (ack!!!) a mother of two, and returning adult dancer, I'm aware of the unique qualities that come with the adult students, particulary ones juggling family and home.... In the states a certification is not a requirement for teaching dance, nor are special courses, but I am going to explore certification all the same...for my own peace of mind. I'd feel a lot more comfortable teaching if experts deemed me worthy and skilled enough. (which is not to say my instructor isn't capable of discerning my readiness to teach, but he can't issue an official document as such...) I would welcome any advice and/or anecdotes from the experienced teachers, too, by the way. ;) if I didn't answer something, I'll come check back after classes tonight and reply, or better explain...as I've got to go get ready right now...(even though my 20 lb cat thinks i should sit here and be his pillow....ugh) Quote Link to comment
Jaana Heino Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 fastfeets, congratulations! It's great you have been able to come back to dance after all those years, and that you can teach when you want to, and as Sulan said it's always wonderful to hear about teachers with good dance background wanting to teach adult beginners! I wish you best of luck. (34 is not old! You have a full teaching career ahead of you.) Quote Link to comment
Guest fastfeets Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 Thank you, everyone I'm really excited about doing this. I'm meeting with the school's owner, who is also one of the potential students (insert wicked grin here) this morning to go over a plan to let people know about the new classes...of course we're going to do this over copious amounts of coffee...haha... Sulan, Jaana, one of the best parts about teaching adult beginners is that I'm familiar with the feeling of starting new things. While I have a strong background in ballet, you'd be surprised how much your body forgets in 10 years. I returned and very much started over from the beginning in many, many ways. Sure, a lot of it came back to me in fairly short time, but you know, I struggled even to do a 1/4 turn without stumbling all over the floor the first months I went back into a class. I love, also, the idea of offering a class to women who have time for themselves finally, after several years dedicated to children at home and finally having them in school. I know I couldn't stand one day in an aerobics class...too boring. I figure there must be a lot of other ladies who would say the same. Ballet might be something they never got to take as a child...or did, but not for long. To be able to introduce, or reaquaint these ladies with that will be such a wonderful thing to see. And I love ballet. I may not be able to effectively share that in performing the greats anymore, but I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be asked to share it with others from a teaching standpoint. It's awful that there aren't more adult beginning classes, though I understand there isn't much need in most studios opinions....but I suppose not having one is better than having an instructor who only wants the cash and doesn't teach well or properly....in some ways. Oh, btw, Xena, I'm Nashville, Tn. I didn't mention that before...just remembered. Quote Link to comment
Guest piccolo Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 Hi Fastfeets. I teach adult basic beginning ballet and I am really enjoying it. It took a while to get a steady stream of students -- the first 6 months I would get 5 then 1 then 3 then none, but now (1 1/2 years later) I regularly get 8-10 students a class. The class I teach is for people who are not ready for a ongoing beginning class -- so anyone who has never taken a single lesson or are coming back after a long hiatus. I have to teach them the very basics but still keep it interesting, which I'm getting better at. As you get started, if you'd like to trade information, I'd be happy to share. Quote Link to comment
Guest fastfeets Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 Piccolo, that would be wonderful! I dont expect more than a few students for the first year or so. I'm pretty sure it will take a lot of time to build up a solid group...and I very much want to keep it fun, comfortable, but challenging and technically accurate. I would love to trade hints and such I'm going to start trawling for students this week with flyers and such, and I'm writing an article for the school in general for a December publication date. (naturally I'll mention the upcoming adult beginner classes...heehee) That's fantastic that you're teaching a class specifically geared towards an adult beginner. I came back after such a long time that a beginning adult class even presented challenges...moving into mainstream pre-pro classes was good for me, but it's just not the way for someone who's never stepped into a dance studio before...so I'm really glad there's folks out there to offer the instruction for everyone. I'm also quite proud to name myself among those, now....still a bit nervous though. How were the first classes? Did you find a rhythm fairly quickly or was it a bit dodgy from the off and settled in once you got going? Quote Link to comment
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