Deep Dives, Not Overwhelm

"Lower your leg in dégagé." You've said it hundreds of times, yet students keep doing low grand battements. The problem isn't the height—it's how they're executing the movement. Students using quads to lift can't moderate effort levels. Learn why slowing down dégagé (yes, really) builds correct technique faster than rushing through it incorrectly.

Some ballet teachers insist combining pointe levels is never appropriate. Others point to economic realities at non-ballet-academies. The debate misses the key question: Can you do this safely with your specific students this year? Learn the honest assessment framework and practical strategies for teaching multi-level pointe classes successfully.

You've seen it: dancers who execute every step with technical precision but look robotic on stage. You've tried "feel the music" and "show more emotion," but nothing changes. The missing piece isn't more emotion—it's understanding dynamics. Learn how teaching quality of movement creates naturally expressive dancers.

Teaching proper ballet posture can feel like walking a tightrope. Push too hard, and students become self-conscious. Don't address it enough, and poor habits become permanent. Here's how to introduce body alignment systematically without creating classroom stress . . .

After 25+ years of teaching, I've learned that beautiful arabesque isn't something you suddenly achieve in center work—it's the natural result of systematic preparation that begins the moment students walk into your studio. Here's the complete warm-up progression that makes arabesque feel inevitable rather than impossible.

'Fix your line' - but which line? The straight line of alignment? The curved path of port de bras? The illusion of extension in grand jeté? After years of research, I've defined the three types of line in ballet that every teacher needs to understand.

Your students have the strength and understand the mechanics, yet their pirouettes remain inconsistent. The missing piece isn't more repetition—it's intentional artistry training. When dancers control their eye-line during balances, their pirouettes naturally improve through enhanced spatial awareness and focus.

The first time I taught class, I thought preparation meant knowing the vocabulary and having a few combinations ready. I was wrong. Teaching ballet is an entirely different skill set from dancing ballet. After 27 years, here are the five most important lessons I wish someone had told me before I taught my first class.

That frustrating 'clunk' in your students' rond de jambe? It's happening because they're playing connect-the-dots with ballet positions instead of moving smoothly through space. Here's how embracing 'the ugly place' transforms choppy ronds de jambe into flowing, effortless circles.

Every ballet teacher has seen them - technically strong dancers who somehow lack that compelling presence that makes you stop and watch. Here's the systematic approach that transforms paper doll dancers into full-bodied artists through intentional spatial awareness training.

When students struggle with plié, it's rarely just about 'not bending enough.' Discover how to address misconceptions about hip, ankle, and knee coordination that create choppy, tense pliés.

Ever assigned the perfect set of foot exercises only to see zero progress? In this post, I share the revelation that hit me after a lunch...

Developing ballet turnout is a delicate balance. Push too hard and dancers get hurt; don't challenge enough and they never reach potential. Here are the systematic signs that guide safe turnout development.

"Straighten your legs" seems simple, but proper ballet leg extension requires VMO muscle activation that most teachers never address. Here's the developmental approach that actually works.

Struggling to teach demi-seconde arm position to young dancers? Skip the technical explanations. These 5 imaginative cues (pirates, umbrellas, tutus!) secretly build perfect ballet technique.

Passing through fifth position in rond de jambe might seem helpful, but it's actually undermining your students' turnout development. Here's the center line approach that builds real strength.

When do students change feet in changement? This foundational jump has three valid teaching approaches. Here's when to use each method and why studio consistency matters more than picking the "right" one.

"Point your toes!" isn't helping your dancers. They need to point feet AND ankles. Here are 6 simple exercises that strengthen, stretch, and improve foot articulation in ballet students.

Is chassé different from gallop? Should it land in demi-plié or fondu? Here's why having a clear, consistent chassé method across your studio matters more than finding the "right" technique.

I don't think there's a magic trick that will automatically get every student to maintain turnout in piqué turns. It's just attention to det