Instructors Weigh In on “Correcting Mistakes”

“Correct the mistake while it is being made.”

This was Anneliese’s very difinition of her “European Method.”  We asked our instructors and guest artists to weigh in on three simple questions regarding the topic of “corrections.”

Our first question was…

In thinking back on the most recent classes you have taught at our AvO school, what ONE correction, if applied, do you think would help our students progress the most?

Steve Bierens:  “I think that it would really be very helpful if we could have Marley laid down in the studio. This will help the students not to dance in fear that they will fall or slip on pointe and possibly injure themselves.”

Kodee Lind Van Nort:  “Students becoming aware of the brush into the floor in exercises such as battement tendu, battement degage, grand battement. This will translate into better turns and jumps in the center.”

Lauren Canfield:  “AvO students would show dramatic progress by spending a bit of time focusing on port de bras and epaulement– after all, that’s the icing on the cake.”

Emily Gardner:  “If I were to make one correction that would benefit the students progress the most it would be to always keep the class upbeat and moving.  I always try to start a class off with fun and new interesting things but sometimes as the class go on I find some students becoming tired, or I even find myself losing energy.  So what I am currently working on is always keeping that positive attitude and keeping a smile on my face. (Passing that smile on to others is never a bad idea either.)”

Second Question…

In your own years of experience as a student, a performer, an instructor, what ONE phrase/ comment/ correction is most memorable to you– or because of its clever wording your FAVORITE?

Steve Bierens:  ”Phrase, work hard and to your full potential. Present yourself.”

Kodee Lind Van Nort:  ”One of my favorite images is the idea of smoke rings radiating from the deep torso which then float and expand out the head, tail, arms, and legs. This is a perpetual sensation.”

Lauren Canfield:  “The correction that hung with me throughout my student and professional years is extremely basic.  If heeded, it produces very professional results.  The advice is:  unless you are bearing weight on your feet, they MUST be pointed.  It sounds silly, but, often times, that is one of the few differences between students and pros.”

Emily Gardner:  “Well this necessarily isn’t a phase but more of a quote.  Ever since I went on a school retreat my junior year in high school I have stuck to this quote.  ’Do what you want today because there are only so many tomorrows.’  When I first heard this I was taken away.  I never really thought of how this relates to dancing until a couple months ago.  I finally figured how my favorite quote relates to my favorite thing to do.  I figured, do the best you can on every combination because you may never have the chance to perform the same steps twice.” 

Third Question…

In your own years of experience as a student, a performer, an instructor, what ONE correction was your own most difficult to overcome?

Steve Bierens:  “Most difficult to overcome: Knowing when to stop pushing myself and take a rest.”

Kodee Lind Van Nort:  “I have always struggled with the trust in my technique and learning not to force movement.” 

Lauren Canfield:  ”A correction I always struggled with overcoming was not focusing my eyes in the direction my head was turned.  I watched myself in the mirror too much.  This distorts the continuation of the dancer’s line.  For me, watching myself in the mirror was my way of reassuring myself that the line was there in the first place!  It can be a tricky habit to break.”

Emily Gardner:  ”Being a dancer for almost 14 years I have had to overcome many corrections, and am still continuing working for my best.  One particular obstacle or correction I had to overcome was my correct posture.  I still today have trouble with the proper body alignment.  Straight knees, tummy in, seat tucked under, shoulders back, elbows rounded, chest pulled up, chin lifted: all these are reminders running through my head even before the combination starts!  When I was younger  I always tended to have an arch in my back.  I still remember the night this was brought to my attention.  In the summer when guest instructor, Jonnie Lynn Jacobs-Percer, told me to look in the mirror and showed me how I had a “swoop” in my back.  After coming to this realization I tried to fix the problem.  I would lay, on the floor, on my back every night and just feel how I had a ”tunnel” in my lower back and try to push my back flat against the floor I would repeat that exercise numerous times until I didn’t have to think about it, I would just do it.  This is just one of the many obstacles I had to overcome.”