I am going to begin private ballet lessons (twice a week, and hour!!! YES!!!!!!) and my mother said the teacher gave her the strangest advice- that I SHOULDN'T practice at home. I mean, does that sound weird to you guys or is it just me?

It sounds right to me, Magdalena. Practicing at home by yourself is something you do ONLY when you absolutely have to.<P>Ballet is something that has to be learned with a teacher watching. It isn't like piano lessons where you go home and practice everyday. In ballet - you take class with a teacher.<P>Private lessons are also good - but not necessarily can they replace regular classes.<P>We had a thread on that - let's see if I can find it.<P>Here it is:<P><A HREF=../../../ubb/Forum7/HTML/000211.html><B>SHOULD IT BE PRIVATE?</B></A><P><BR>I think that private lessons are a good adjunct to regular classes - but not a replacement, unless there is a special problem.<P><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited June 05, 2001).]

Besheva, i'm kind of confused. are you saying that i shouldn't practice my ballet stuff at home? i go to class 2 times a week, and i sometimes will go over what i learned in class while i'm at home. i don't want to hurt myself in anyway. should i just wait till i get into the class before practicing? by the way, i just love this section on students questions. it really helps alot. good idea!! gold stars to all involved. <BR>Kim

Kim there is nothing wrong with running through combinations in your head that you are learning or marking them through. I think what basheva is saying is that you shouldn't do too much technical work at home as you need a teacher's watchful eye to give corrections etc, eg you could be working on one particular step in the wrong way at home and that could lead to poor technique - which becomes a habit surprisingly quickly.<P>Also when working on your own people often don't bother to warm up which is obviously very bad for you.<P>I encourage my students to run through anything they are learning in their head or just mark through a routine, really as a memory exercise and to give a lot of thought to the work they are doing at present but it is really best to do any proper practice in front of a teacher.<P>PS Glad you like the new board!<p>[This message has been edited by Joanne (edited June 05, 2001).]

I agree completely with what Joanne said ....and she said it much better than I did.<P>and, I could add, if you are working on pointe, without supervision you could get hurt.

Also - you really aren't going to be able to practise well without a wall of mirrors and a good floor. Too often girls practise at home on floors that are wood, but have only concrete underneath - bad for the knees and ankles!

opps!! i've sort of been practicing moves at home for about an hour at a time. i move the livingroom furniture back against the walls and practice chaines across the living room floor, pirouettes, ect. i guess i probably need to be a little more careful. thanks for the warning. i don't want to hurt myself, or create bad habits- i really never thought of that. yikes!!<BR>kim

hmm...well, what if you practice with other ballet students? i mean, surely they can see if there's anything wrong with what you're doing, right?

Pearl - other ballet students are just that students....not teachers. <P>I have been dancing and taking ballet classes for over 31 yrs., now. and I taught ballet classes for 25 yrs at all levels. Yet, when I want to dance - I go to ballet class and I have a teacher. Yes, I do. She is a teacher, and she looks at what I am doing and she corrects me. Dancers never get beyond that. The greatest dancers in the world go to class, and have a teacher.<P>It is true that it is possible for one experienced dancer can help another, but the key word here is experience. On the other hand not all experienced dancers have the attributes to be teachers. Being a dancer and a teacher are two different things. Takes a different set of abilities.<P>It takes a great deal of experience to really see what is wrong - and then be able to impart that knowledge in a way that is useful to the student. <BR>

My teacher suggested that I do some demi-plies and battement tendus, very simple things always in front of a mirror at home. I also do basic exercises for turnout exactly as i have been taught and also with written instructions. I do these everyday to keep me supple. But I never do anything complicated. She said it was Ok because I am quite experienced. Is this alright, I also never practise if a muscle is hurting for exemple, until my next lesson.

Ballet girl, if your teacher has suggested you work on certain things at home, then she knows and will be monitoring in class to be sure you are on track. She obviously trusts your ability to work on your own. I like that you even have written instructions, and are being responsible about listening to your body, and waiting until class if something is not right. You are following your teacher's advice to keep it simple. Sounds great to me.<P>I concur with others who have given excellent reasons to not practice at home. As for running through combinations, I advise students to think about them at night, right before going to sleep. This seems to be a time when your mind is very receptive. Even envisioning, as you lie in bed, the process of doing pirouettes or chaines or whatever you are working on, can enhance your performance when you get to class.

nancy that is exactly the time I say for my students to think about combinations - it is an easy time to remember to do something and can become part of the bedtime ritual.<P>And all of you that have asked about practicing at home should be commended for your enthusiasm. Stick to the suggestions made and you should be fine.

I used to do that when I was reheasing and performing.....I would lie in bed at night and go over in my mind the choreography and visualize myself doing it.<P>It really did seem to help.<P>I do also remember coming home and going over combinations that gave me difficulty in class - but I would walk through them - not do them full out because by that time I was no longer warmed up and didn't want to get into bad habits. But walking through as Joanne and Nancy have suggested does help.

I hesitate to disagree with cautions against the dangers of individual practice. However, I personally have often found it beneficial. During times when the studios are closed for breaks and such, I do pilates and barre exercises, and try to work on things I've been having difficulty with. Granted, I am at an intermediate level, am fortunate to have access and permission to use a proper space, generally move slowly and carefully, using the mirror, and take classes regularly throughout the year. But this practice does seem to enable me to focus very specifically for a longer period of time on one thing, such as the various components of a pirouette, and certain steps have improved. OK, I'm donning my flame-proof suit now! <P> <P>

Sissonne - you bring up some very valid reasons...you truly do.<P>However, some of the students involved here are quite young and are dancing at home, sometimes in spaces that are not really good for dance. Floors for instance - not adequately sprung - or otherwise not suitable. There was one who mentioned a marble floor.<P>Also, some of these students are newly or almost newly on pointe - that is a concern. And, there are also some who consider working at home a substitute, at least to some extent, for regular supervised classes. <P>So, I think that the message we are giving here is not for people like you who have the suitable space, the care, and the knowledge. And, even intermediate and above would not use this as a substitute, but only when there is no other choice. <P>We have probably all done this, but only where there is no other choice and all other parameters are suitable. But, the youngsters to whom we are speaking might not be able to differentiate between the two.<P>I have been approached personally and through e-mail by parents hoping that they can cut back on classes for their children (and thereby save both money and driving time) if the children would practice at home.<P>So your points are entirely valid and worthwhile - take off the suit - LOL