TV_Corrections_MAINI love to teach ballet. I love to coach, correct, clean, and encourage. And I constantly tell my students corrections are how dance teachers say “I like how you are trying, I care about your dancing, and I want you to improve.”

But sometimes I feel my students don’t know how to apply the corrections I give them.

In normal school, teachers share studying, writing, and test taking techniques with their classes so students can excel in their learning. I feel this needs to happen in dance studios also.

Here are 3 steps I share with my students to help them “take” their corrections and improve their dancing.

  1. Make sure you understand the correction. If you are confused, approach me during a class break or after class for clarification and a more thorough explanation. Once you understand what I want you to do, the sooner you can apply it.
  2. Apply the correction to your body. If you can do it, this is fabulous. Skip to Step 3. But if your body cannot do the correction, let me help you more. (At this point, I usually share strengthening or stretching exercises for the student to do at home to achieve their correction). To improve faster, you want to practice in the studio and at home.
  3. Make your correction consistent. (I personally think this last step is the hardest for students.) The only way to reach consistency is practice, practice, and more practice. Some dancers keep journals of their corrections to review and remember them before class or rehearsal. Other dancers focus on one correction at a time, while some them all at once. Each individual has their own way of learning and remembering. It is important to find yours and then use it on your dance corrections.

Some student’s corrections can be fixed immediately, but most take time, concentration, and hard work. But ultimately, when they master their corrections, their dancing will improve. And as teachers, we get one step closer to our goal of sharing and preserving the art and technique of dance with our students and community.

So lets start helping our students master their corrections!

How do you help your students apply corrections?

Until next time, teach, inspire, and grow!