Ballet Central, Insight 2

Insight 2 is the subtlety of suggestion. It may seem that a teacher teaches their student, but at best a teacher guides the student to a realization of a lesson through personal experience.

He who wishes to teach us a truth should not tell it to us, but simply suggest it with a brief gesture, a gesture which starts an ideal trajectory in the air along which we glide until we find ourselves at the feet of the new truth.

José Ortega y Gasset (1883–1955)
Spanish essayist, philosopher.

To know how to suggest is the great art of teaching. To attain it we must be able to guess what will interest; we must learn to read the childish soul as we might a piece of music. Then, by simply changing the key, we keep up the attraction and vary the song.

Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821–81)
Swiss philosopher, poet.

BalletCentral would love to read about your interpretation of these statements. We also encourage you to share your opinions, experiences, ideas, or a quote that you find inspiring.

Questions?

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