How to teach ballet?

Question

I am interested in learning how to teach a ballet class. Starting with order of barre exercises and then center. Also How to pick music ALL and ANY advice would be great thanks.

Answer 1

Well there is a 3 year old class and a 7+ year old class. I'm only 17 and have never taught a class before. I will do some assistant teaching before I teach on my own and I'm only filling in for a few week but it is something I have always wanted to do. So I'm just anxious to learn how to teach.

Answer 2

What you teach depends on what age level you are teaching.  Obviously, 5 year olds are going to have a different kind of class than high schoolers.  As a general rule of thumb, here's what I teach at different age levels:

3-4 years old - creative movement and very basic ballet moves

5-7 years old - I do a circle warm-up and teach basic ballet moves

8-10 years old - this is the first age group I do barre with.  I do plies (1st, 2nd, and 5th position), tendus (from 1st), degages (from 1st), rond de jambes, and grand battements (from 1st) with students that are a little less experienced and start to incorporate more in as they get more advanced.  The more advanced students do all of the above from 5th position, as well as adding frappes and perhaps a barre stretch.

11-13 years old - I focus more on strengthening for pointe at this level.  I also add 4th position to the plies, and I add in fondu and petit battement.  

14+ years old - it really depends on whether or not students are on pointe, but I do the same types of things as I would for 11-13 year olds, I just make the combinations more difficult (add releve, etc.).

The general order of barre work should go as follows:

plies

tendus from 1st

tendues from 5th

degages

rond de jambes

barre stretch

fondu

petit battement

frappe

grand battement

For center work, you usually start with an adagio, followed by a petit allegro (small jumps like changements), an allegro (assembles, jetes, etc.), and work on pirouettes.

Across the floor you work on grand allegro (leaps, tours, etc.), turns, etc.

Make sure to incorporate a reverance at the end of your class.

Again, it does vary with different age levels, but I try to incorporate all elements of a basic ballet class into all age levels.

As far as music goes, most ballet teachers will either use a live pianist (and you're lucky if you get one!), or CD's with music specifically composed for ballet class.  They also have titles on the back by each track recommending what exercise to use it for, and some even have a time signature (2/4, 3/4, 4/4).  A few popular artists that I have used are Lisa Harris and David Howard (both excellent choices for ballet classes).

Let me know if you have any other teaching questions!  I love inspiring young teachers!

Answer 3

hey we're the same age! : )

I've been doing assistant teaching for 2 years with a 4-5 year old class. This year I guess I'm being the main teacher for that class so I understudied my instructor this summer. And I have the most awesome assistant in the world. : ) (just incase she reads this. lol)

Here's the layout for how we run things at our studio. (its a 45 minute class)

1. Little Oak Tree: grab your knees to your chest like a little acorn. slide your legs down and try to touch your head to your knees. grab your knees again. repeat 4 X. rock forward so that you're able to get up and stand. reach for the sky. (like a tree growing). then do little turns (growing tree rings). then have the girls fly around the oak tree in the middle like little birds. We do this exercise on mats...but I guess it doesn't have to be done that way.

2. Share/Butterfly: Butterfly position. You go around the circle and ask each child what their favorite _______ is. Then after each child says their answer, have them flap their butterfly wings and put their nose to their toes. Then come up and repeat with other children.

3. Then we do a straddle exercise. I like magic hat. Reach over to one foot. Reach over to the other foot. Reach down in the middle and pull out glitter or tutus or whatever you want.

4. Then we do a stomach exercise. I tend to do spaghetti legs, pencil points. Have the children lay on their backs and point their feet straight up into the air. then ask them to wiggle their legs like spaghetti then go back into straight knees pointed toes (pencil points)

5. Then we do a back exercise. Super girl would be good for all ages.

6. After back exercises you could go into turtle postion to stretch out the back.

7. Then we put the mats away.

8. We come center and do balances in passe. We call it Pink Flamingo.

9. Then we do airplane which is just lifting the leg to the back in arabesque.

10. then we do 4 plies and 4 releves.

11. we do rock and point. stand in 2nd position and just rock from one side to the other pointing feet.

12. Then we do tight rope walks on a piece of tape across the floor. in releve.

13. Then we do fairy runs where they follow the leader in different formations around the room while flapping their arms like a fairy. quiet runs.

14. then we do chasses. get a partner and chasse to the other end of the room and make a bridge. then the next group goes and goes under the bridge, etc.

15. then we do jump over the puddle. (grande jetes). or sometimes its jump over the teddy bear if we have one in the room at the time.

16. then we do some creative movement where we put on music for a few minutes and just let the kids make up their own dances.

If you'd like any more ideas I have lots but this is the main lesson plan I go by. you can always email me for more. : )

[e-mail]. Good luck!