Classical Ballet Technique. What Is It?

(Or… "How To Demonstrate The Entire Method of Classical Ballet Technique in Less Than 3 Minutes")

What do you say to a student when they ask "Why is it done this way?"

How do you help a student when they are consistently frustrated by a particular step and it seems that your coaching is ineffective?

Moments like these might cause the teacher to realize that teaching dance involves more than just demonstrating dance steps. Helping the student acquire an understanding of the simple logic behind ballet technique will not only help the teacher handle these situations, but will help prepare the student to be more effective at self-coaching. Remember that the greatest achievement for a teacher is to be able to say, "The students are now working as if I did not exist."

A teacher builds the student’s technique in a logical pattern, step by step, class by class. The teacher must also assist the student in grasping the overall logic behind ballet technique… one conceptual step at a time.

Once the student begins to understand the dynamics behind ballet technique they begin to learn how simple it really is. Confucius said, "What is simple is easily understood. What is easily understood is easy to learn. That which is easily learned, generates the love of learning. When one loves to learn, all knowledge and wisdom become possible."

The Basics…
Every art form has basic components that characterize it. The art of painting relies on brushes (fingers, hairs, computer mouse, etc.), paint (oil, charcoal, pencil, crayons, mud, computer pixels, etc.), and a working surface (board, canvas, sidewalks, computer monitor, etc.). Dance has its defining physical elements too: a body (human or not); rhythm (drums, symphony, soundless, etc.); a floor (stage, studio, earth, etc.); and choreography (abstract, uniform, free-form, etc.).

Within each art form there are specific constraints that define the particular style or method. Impressionist style painting implies that the artist will use an outdoor setting, a pure color palette, and that she will apply the paint in small dabs -- all to create a vibrant atmosphere. Each form of dance, such as modern, classical, and jazz, also has specific constraints and a palette from which to work that defines its particular form.

It might seem like there are a large number of different movements and steps that define classical ballet. At the core of each of these movements is one or more basic components that are easy to understand and to teach. These basic components really form the alphabet of dance. When these alphabet components (letters) are combined into more complex movements (words) ballet begins to take on its characteristic style.

Like teaching a language, ballet instruction begins with the basics and builds on them. When teaching a more complicated movement, always refer back to its most basic component. This tends to expedite learning because the student will be approaching the challenge from the most appropriate vantage point -- from the confidence, experience and skills that they have already developed by mastering the basics.

In the chart below I have summarized the basic components that characterize classical ballet. This is the initial process of simplifying ballet technique so it is easily learned. The idea behind this simplification is to understand that each step or position can all be traced back to a fundamental basic component. Whether you teach the English, Cecchetti or Russian method, the outline below is general enough to be utilized by everyone’s instructional approach.

Try and teach your students to learn this chart. It is easily done in one or two lessons. Have them practice the positions and pronounce the vocabulary on a regular basis. In the allegro section ask each student to come up with a 1 foot to 1 foot step, such as jeté or ballonné, or 2 feet to 1 foot step, such as sissone. They will have fun learning to define the basics. In this way the student can begin to develop a global concept of ballet technique and enlarge their vocabulary with ease. As they gain mastery of the vocabulary, and their physical placement, you will begin to notice how quickly they remember exercises. This reduces the time between exercises and allows more material to be given in one class period. The more material delivered in one class period the faster the student develops their technique, and the more fun they have in class.

Actually, it is fun to tell the students that you can demonstrate the entire method of classical ballet in less than 3 minutes. Simply spin through a quick demonstration of the items in this chart and conclude with a few examples of the more complex steps that build upon these basics.

DanceArt.com looks forward to your feedback and questions. Your participation in and enthusiasm for the BalletCentral contributes enormous energy and value to this site and will make it more valuable for all of us.

Anthony answers some of your questions in this special section. You may email him at coach@danceart.com