Light Bulbs in Dance Class

Pressure ain't such a bad teaching aid.

I found it telling that some of those perpetually late kiddos actually got out of the dressing room early so they could find the "good dancers" in the class to help them. I'm always impressed with how the ability to actually do the ballet barre combinations elevates the "social status" of some of the kids in class with those who would normally be the no-effort distractions...those girls generally too cool for dancin' school.

Wonderful transformation happening with a few of the students. A chance to talk philosophically for a minute, I can't get bored with teaching when I see a kid starting to realize she has control over her body. They'll never believe it is actually the power of the thinking brain that transforms the body into a more technically adept functioning machine... but maybe somewhere down the line it might occur to them. I think I might have made that stunning realization while doing Lamaze when I was in labor with my son....let's hope they realize it sooner and in a different setting. For me Lamaze class was just another vairation on modern class without the leo and tights and using Lamaze during birth was the ultimate improvisation...but I digress.

Back to those Dance 1 students...despite my foreboding predictions of what I might see and my general dismay during some performances the minute they started...I did see some improvement. I wish that somehow I could actually suspend a cartoon light bulb over their heads that would illuminate when they are concentrating and they execute a movement correctly. Then as they observed each other and themselves it would be as obvious to them as it is to me...many of these bulbs are burning brightly and the ones with the low wattage... they'll be up from replacement soon. If only dance class rosters came with spare bulbs like new packs of Christmas lights do.

I think the one thing I'd need to be wary of is that most classes' string of lights would be "blinkers" instead of "steady on" strands...but I think that's the nature of teaching after all.

It is up to us teachers to get them on the right setting.