by Dianne Buxton

Created on: January 31, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

Ballet: Why Good Technique?

Ballet absolutely should be - well, fun - was not the word I ever thought of when I was a child in class. Being in class and struggling along with the other girls was fun. A sense of accomplishment was satisfying. Strict teachers could be terrifying but the accomplishment seemed all the more when approval was expressed.

The yearly performance was important. A goal, after the dreaded exam was over for the year, a goal involving real presentation - nervousness and excitement that usually seemed a lot more worth it to me, than the exam in the ugly tunic. No covering up those technical imperfections that a tutu would or some other poetic garment poetic would upstage!

Many students have a sense of pride and a fairly realistic feel for authentic technique and elegant style, unless they have never seen good ballet. Strength and control and poise are elements of training that build a real grasp on life experience for a child, or an adult for that matter. Training later in life can be a serious and meaningful pursuit - whether an adult is a beginner or reviving former skills.

A good teacher can be mercilessly picky about technical basics, and still offer a variety of exercises, with much elegance, grace, and FUN.

SO it MATTERS even if your child may take ballet for only a year or two or three. There may be a later interest in jazz, karate, tap, modern dance or acting, all of which will benefit from a little grounding in safe, properly taught technique and artistic presentation. Discipline - actually self-discipline, which isn't really discipline because you're doing something you want to do - say dedication is a better word, dedication can be discovered. It is wonderful to find out that you can be consistent, work hard, with the required concentration and I don't know what can do that better for a student than a fine art or athletic training.

Education in general does not offer such a rarified experience of oneself. Such hard work that is ballet is a unique and very personal activity, the level of understanding and physical application that can be achieved in the simplest of exercises is REAL accomplishment, that can never be taken away.

It is just wonderful to impress yourself occasionally, also, with something that matters to YOU.

So to recap on some points of what you want to see clearly in viewing classes - (or just go to my other articles on How To Choose a Ballet Teacher - re posture, turnout, and general overview,) you hopefully will see a teacher who takes time at the beginning of each exercise to check everyone's posture - who watches and instructs on safe turnout (feet, knees and thighs all turned out the same degree) and who is persistent and repetitive in teaching technical points AND is also able to combine artistry into her/his exercises as well. If so, you've got a keeper.

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