Selecting a dance studio: a guide for young dancers and their parents - choosing the right dance school

Dance Magazine, Sept, 1994 by Yasuko Tokunaga, Emiko Tokunaga

At the Boston Conservatory Dance Division, we audition teenagers from around the country whose dreams are to become professional dancers. Most applicants have good training--many have exceptional backgrounds--but there are always some who have been frightfully and inadequately trained. These students have studied for many years, putting their trust and faith in their teachers. In our view, their money and precious time have been virtually stolen from them.

One student we auditioned told us that she studies once a week for an hour and a half: a half hour of ballet, a half hour of jazz, and a half hour of tap. We asked another what she studied (she had trained for fourteen years), and she replied, "You know, stretches, centerballet, and jazz." Perplexed, we asked how her class was structured. She responded: "We do stretches, pas de chats, and then work on our jazz routines."

Unaware of their inadequate preparation, these two students were serious about becoming professional ballerinas! Unfortunately, because of their poor training, their dreams may never be realized.

Selecting the best dance studio and the right teacher is vital. How can you, a student or a parent, become more informed about selecting a good studio? Here are some things we believe you should investigate:

THE SCHOOL'S PHILOSOPHY: Inquire about the artistic director's vision. Everything comes down from the top. What are the principles behind the teaching methods employed in the studio? Is there a specific technique or point of view in the pedagogy that unites all of the faculty members? What are the goals of the studio?

TEACHERS: Check your teachers' training and with whom they have performed. Looking into backgrounds aids you in assessing the teachers' years of training and the quality of their past work in the field. It is also important to note that an excellent performer does not necessarily make a fine teacher. No one teacher is qualified to teach "everything." Check that the teacher is qualified to teach the styles that you are studying. [An additional resource is Dance Magazine's new series on American teachers: See the July and August issues.]

QUALITY OF TRAINING: Whenever possible, observe a class. Is the teacher professional, caring, knowledgeable, and willing to work with each and every student? Does the teacher seem to have a working knowledge of anatomy? Many chronic injuries are traced to poor movement habits learned in early years of bad training. What types of injuries, if any, are common in the studio?

What is the spirit of the class? Is the environment tense? A dance class should be disciplined, encouraging, and nurturing. What are the teacher's communicative skills? It is a teacher's responsibility not only to educate but also to stimulate, inspire, motivate, and encourage each student. Is the teacher a good role model as an artist and as a human being? Are appropriate musical selections played by a pianist or other instrumentalist? If recorded music is used, are selections organized and preplanned? Is musicality an important part of the classes?

HOW OFTEN TO STUDY: To compete in the professional dance field, early ballet training (usually started at 7 to 9 years of age) is recommended.

If you aspire to a ballet career, you should be taking ballet at least two or three times a week by the time you reach the age of 10 or 12. Serious females who desire ballet careers should take two additional pointe classes per week. At major ballet studios, many students take a minimum of five or six classes weekly.

If you aspire to a career in modern dance, jazz, or tap, it is important to note that there are codified techniques in all of these styles that require training as specific as ballet. We suggest that you attend a minimum of two technique classes weekly.

DIVISION AND SIZE OF CLASSES: How are classes divided--by age or technical ability? Division by age means that the class is composed of students with different degrees of ability. The teacher has to make the difficult decision of where to aim her lesson: top, middle, or bottom level. If a class is not physically, intellectually, and spiritually challenging, a student will not improve. How large is the class? What is the teacher-student ratio? Large classes mean less space to move and less individual attention.

FORMER STUDENTS: What are they doing? Are they performing in professional companies? Are they teaching, choreographing, and able to make careers in dance?

PERFORMANCE VENUES: Students are enchanted with performing possibilities. What are the performing venues of the studio--concerts, recitals, demonstrations, open classes? Is there an affiliation with a professional company? (For example, talented young ballet dancers are often selected to perform in the affiliated company's major story ballets, such as The Nutcracker.) Students observe and absorb a great deal, so the ambience and atmosphere of the studio is a wonderful and rich training ground. It is very valuable for a young student to be able to walk down the hall and watch professionals rehearsing.