Thoughts on Teaching

There is no better way to understand the dancer in you than teaching a classroom full of young dancers. The bonus - understanding the human in you, as well.

In teaching dance we emphasize our personal interests and goals with a dollop of personal flair. But in teaching dance to the youngest of dancers, we have to find a way to break down important principles and relay it to them in a way they can understand. It would be simple to teach a mature person how to stand in first position. But try asking a three year old to "find their first." It is a timely task in which half the class stares intently at their feet trying their hardest to just make them touch. Half of the class stares blankly at me, eagerly awaiting further instruction. In my classroom it is the sound of a kiss that instantly reminds them to put their heels together ("kissing") with hardly any conscious effort. My job in teaching young dancers is communicating simple principles in ways they can both understand and enjoy. If one student can not achieve a concept, it is difficult for the group to move on. How do I communicate in ways they can understand? I have to answer this uniquely for each group of students I have. The answer is almost always different. I have to deeply investigate myself. Sometimes I find the answers down memory lane and sometimes I use simple imagery that has always helped me in class. Then I translate my understandings in ways in which they can understand. It seems simple enough, but the challenge is in keeping the young dancer interested. They come because they want to have fun. Some come because they want to someday be a prima ballerina. I have to give them a good time while instilling discipline, poise, and technique. If they don't understand something, they become uninterested. If they are not enjoying the class, they become uninterested. I am responsible for keeping their inner fire ablaze.

Discipline is another challenge. What one child learns at home another may not. Having patience in a classroom full of young dancers is key. It takes a lot of self control, inner dialogue, and openness to the student. This is where my human reflection stares me in my face. I can lose my cool and later drown in self doubt. Or I can bite the grit, pull it together, and in my very gentle "Miss Shannon voice" let the little ones know how very inappropriate they are being. I usually opt for the gentle (yet very firm) "Miss Shannon voice". And as always, I want the student to walk away having learned something, rather than having had a negative experience.

I love teaching children through adults. It is a calm and smooth environment in a room full of older children, teenagers, and adults learning dance. I usually feel at ease from the start of class to the end, unlike the young classes where my experience can range from one extreme to the other. The young children are the most challenging, most exhausting, most adorable, and loving little dancers. They inspire me just as much as the mature dancers. The frustration I sometimes feel leaves immediately when I see the smiles on their faces. It is most gratifying to have little dancers that leave the studio with a love for dance. I just have to find new, fun, and creative ways to enlighten the little bundles of awesomeness. It all comes from a little digging and finding the answers from deep within.


Submitted by TDC dancer Shannon Edwards on December 5, 2013.