When producing a ballet for youngsters, we have limited resources including costumes, rehearsal dates, staffing and theater-time which I am responsible for organizing into a easily followed schedule where children are not expected to do too much waiting around the studio, but still be cast in a sufficient number of roles with sufficient stage time to give them a fun and educational experience. I am responsible for coming up with entertaining and age-appropriate choreography that simultaneously serves in an educational capacity.

For a company production, dancers are asked to register ahead of time of any given audition so that I can plan an effective use of the 3-4 hour audition, which also serves as our first rehearsal. I give dancers until the morning of the audition to register. I sort out tentative casting grids, a budget, a musical score, get licensing, get event insurance, plan stage directions and choreography on a spreadsheet and make all the necessary changes the night of or morning after any given audition. It's tedious and precarious and one change of child or costume has a domino effect on the entire grid. I also start doing costume research based on the number of dancers, the budget, the necessary quick changes and choreography in mind weeks prior so that the second I have the final number of participants, I can order said costumes, scenery and backdrops and have them arrive 4-6 weeks before the show - just enough time for adjustments, tailoring and a dress rehearsal. 

This is not a chorus singing a song where any number of sopranos and altos will do. There are a very specific number of spots, available to a specific number of dancers within an age and level range.  We also have a limited number of seats in the theater so seating for families is assigned before the casting grid is finalized.

In our upcoming production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, we have 10 spots for youngsters. I had an initial plan of choreographing for between 6 and 12 dancers. I needed an even number to make the choreography work so actually kept a lilac belt in the younger tier to make it happen. She did not complain - I think she gets the bigger picture. I also kept a red belt in the scene who could have leveled up - she also gets the bigger picture. You have to do what the production requires.

​Knowing that show planning begins long before the actual audition, and that we would not have time to bend over backwards to accommodate latecomers, we informed dancers that pre-registration was necessary. We opened pre-registration in December for an audition on Jan 26th. We sent three reminder emails, posted it online and left notices out at the front desk. I even personally emailed and called dancers who said they were participating, or usually participate, but hadn't submitted their form as we needed advance knowledge of attendees. The other 90% of people had absolutely no trouble submitting the one-liner online form. They had up to Jan 25th to pre-register but I accepted registrations through 4pm on 1/26. We had ten people pre-register for the age group in question below. I spent the better part of the week before and the day after the audition preparing for these ten dancers. 

Most of the thousands of families I have worked with over the years have been amazing. But there are more than a few who think that bullying and guilt-shaming is an effective tactic to get what they want, and that they aren't required to follow the same rules that others are required to follow. Then they call me names, threaten to lie about us on social media and site rumors (probably started by other bullies). It's absurd. 

This scenario has played out four times this school year already and countless times in the past, and it needs to stop NOW. It is exhausting and is a huge distraction from what we, as a school, need to actually be focused on. It's a waste of resources which is a burden on the students themselves. It's an ongoing problem that I have seen happen in other schools where I've worked, and that other studio owners face everyday. I have tried everything to prevent and resolve this. As a board, we spend way too much time dealing with unreasonable demands that ask us to abandon rules and protocol and are unfair to the other, majority of students.

And the hostility that I personally face when I enforce a rule is astounding. I am always kind, but I am direct - I've tried being gentle, I've tried using humor, I've tried to respond thoroughly, I've tried to respond concisely, I've tried to respond slowly, I've tried to respond quickly, I've tried EVERYTHING I can think of to avoid upsetting people when enforcing a known rule. But it doesn't matter; Whether its because people think they can get away with it, or its going to help their cause, or I'm just the first target, I'm still not sure. I do know that sadly when our one male board member sends the same information to the same person regarding the same demand, he gets a helluva different response.. 

I have no idea what more to do. I do know that my time and energy needs to be focused on the 150+ students in the 30 hours of classes I teach every week, supporting my staff of 10 teaching and administrative professionals, choreographing and rehearsing 3 yearly productions, private lessons, professional development and operating the school. NOT on dealing with families who demand the rules shouldn't apply to them.

And I can tell you that making exceptions to rules and procedures is the absolute worst thing we can do as a school. The rules we have in place are not for anyone's personal benefit Especially not mine; It would be far easier for me to give into people and not deal with the confrontations. They are for the benefit of the children enrolled in the school, period. They are there so families can have clear guidelines and expectations. I am not in a position to break the rules for anyone. Even our most senior teachers and student teachers have to follow our rules. Our board of dedicated volunteers follow the rules. There is no one person on the planet who is so important to our studio that they would be entitled to an exception to any rule (because if they were that important, they'd be already happy to follow the rules!)

​We have rules that maintain a productive environment for everyone. I do not agree that I'm 'hostile' because I enforce them. I am sick and tired of dealing with abuse because I actually uphold our school's simple and straightforward policies. The people who follow them know that I am very accommodating and will do anything and everything for any one of my students. If you want your child to grow up thinking rules are for suckers and the best way to get out of them is by being a bully- you are not welcome here. In my opinion, if you can't follow a rule, you don't belong in any school. I am definitely not going to tolerate it and I don't think any teacher should have to.

People have told me not to let the bleacher-seat people bother me. It's obvious these outlier families are in the wrong and I should just deal with it and then move on. But frankly, rumors about our organization are damaging and deeply, deeply concerning to me. There is no way we could function without having and upholding standard rules and procedures. I need to be able to uphold rules and operating procedures without enduring personal attacks on my character, lies about the school itself, and the incredible time-wasting that goes on. 

In our tradition of transparency, going forward, all emails sent to our organization will be a matter of public record and our staff has been advised that we are only to correspond in writing. Please do not think that attacking me or spreading rumors about our school is going to be an effective strategy for getting what you want at the expense of other students.

I've been reaaaaallly on the fence about sharing this post and promoting this idea. Because, yes, of course we have to take care of our bodies and honor our limits, and not beat ourselves up, etc etc.

But we also live in a world where our human nature is to NOT go beyond our comfort zone. True - all professional dancers and nearly all students on a professional track push themselves beyond their physical limits as a daily practice; it's a no-brainer, it's par for the course.

But it's simply not true for the majority of regular people and the majority of ordinary students- and isn't work ethic what what makes dancers so admirable in the first place?

I realize the author is speaking to a different audience, but it's so frustrating as a teacher to see listless faces during barre work - where talent and time is being wasted because it's not being supported by diligence and perseverance.

Your energy needs to be spent somewhere - the universe will not tolerate a vacuum - flitting our energy away in laziness and egotistically driving yourself to fruitless exhaustion are both two extremes of the same problem and neither will bring you any success. Sometimes that means deliberate restfulness (DELIBERATE RESTFULNESS - not crapping out in front of a tv, or zoning out while you're already in class for crying out loud) and sometimes that means push a little harder.

​But in my experience, when in doubt, -push a little harder.

- Ms Erin

I often tell parents of young children that summer is a wonderful time for play and experimentation and that children who are mentally fatigued from the school year should take some time off from ballet. Many of our kiddie classes are shortened and other concentrations are offered throughout summer sesh for this reason.
But I have to be real about this – I would only, only, only recommend that for children who are mentally fatigued and because of that, ill-prepared to advance.
It is not applicable advice for dancers over the age of 8 or so years, who are intent on improving, or even maintaining, their technique.
The reality is that until I started teaching at a competition school on Long Island almost two decades ago, I never even heard of a dancer who didn't study over summer. It really boggled my mind - like, what a waste of the little time we have to really improve.
Point(e) blank: If you are not taking summer classes, you are missing a major opportunity. Summer is a time when we don’t have the mental exhaustion we face during the school year. We have readiness of mind and malleability of body (the body is more flexible in heat) to really up our game. It is a well-known reality that dancers improve three-fold during summer intensives compared to a regular 4-5 month semester, even though it’s only a third of the time. But even taking regular weekly classes will help you maintain your strength, technique, flexibility and stamina.
Not only that, but it will take a dancer at least two months to get back into the shape they left off in June after two months off.
If you blow off summer classes, you are losing half a year of valuable improvement!
I realize that ballet is not everyone’s first priority and I truly believe that is should remain accessible to all regardless of how dedicated you can/are able to be.
But do not be mistaken – DANCERS do not take months off from their technique. Regular people do.

I’m incredibly grateful for the vast majority of our dancers and families who appreciate having a school like ours in this community and the magic of a ballet experience for their children. These contributing parents are entirely responsible for enabling us to sustain our productions and elevating the standards of our programs. Everyone, from those taking time out of their day to volunteer each week and at the shows, to those dressing up to perform, to those offering simple words of encouragement and feedback- your efforts are so appreciated. I am always deeply humbled by everyone's help but this year has been especially inspiring.

I also want to give a big shout out to all of our cast members. They have done a truly incredible job. We have the youngest cast of any Nutcracker production around and yet they have accomplished so much in the same span of rehearsals. I assure you as you're watching them, you will forget they are children. They have a lot to be proud of, from our littlest tea dancers to our sugarplum fairies.

I hope our Nutcracker weekend is as joyful and magical for everyone involved as it will be for me.

On that note, I have to just say:

I’m not here to be liked…

It’s nice to be liked, don’t get me wrong. And it’s cruel to be indifferent. But ultimately that’s not why we’re here. We’re here to share, to toil, to work, to create, to love and to build things. We’re here specifically to learn and to dance. And sometimes the best way to create an environment in which we can share the most, create the most, build the most, learn the most, and dance the most will result in my not being liked.

So be it.

I’ll be very clear on this: While I will not tolerate abuse towards my staff nor myself, I do not care one iota about being liked.

In fact, the best indicator that I’m doing my job well is when a rule-breaker doesn’t like me.

I care about a lot of things that go on at our school, in our community, in this industry. Too much even.

• I care about how every student is feeling at every moment of their experience here
• I care about juggling the needs of one child versus the needs of hundreds of others in every class, every rehearsal, every role-given, every disciplinary comment issued, every sticker question recipient, every choice of line-leader, and every ‘who gets the pink wings’.
• I care about how much they are learning – we juggle children’s innate need for fun and play with their capacity to learn and their need for discipline all the time.
• I care about whether I’m setting a child up for failure by too much hand-holding or by not enough hand-holding
• I care about whether we’re spending too much time on one family’s needs and not enough on another’s
• I care about whether this child needs to be coached further to their edge or if they need to scale back and rest
• I care about whether or not I should prioritize a parent’s question or their child’s class time
• I care about whether the staff needs more support from me or needs more freedom to be the best they can be for our students
• I care about the kids being able to do an amazing job, have an amazing time and at the same time be successful on stage
• I care about them learning as much as possible in the small amount of time we have them each week
• I care about them, of course, learning ballet, but also about taking care of their bodies, about arts and culture, and about life
• I care about them learning to be a part of a community, to be rule-abiding, to look out for the greater good, to look out for the littler ones
• I care about them learning ‘to do’ instead of saying ‘something needs to be done’
• I care about upholding consistent rules so that they are clear, concise, easily followed and fair

I speak on behalf of the entire community of board, staff, dancers and parents when I say the following - We do workarounds whenever possible. Most of the cast can attest to how accommodating we can be at one point or another. 
We constantly reconsider the rules to work the best for the most people. We are always open to queries, questions and nuances when said queries are respectful and considerate of the other members of our community.

But we like discipline. We are dancers after all. And it is the very reason why families want their children to learn the art of ballet. There is no greater tool in life than discipline.  

So if you’re not contributing to that notion, or at the very least appreciating it, you are countering it. Just like I tell our student teachers, if you’re not helping, you’re distracting.  And frankly, that’s not welcome here.

We’ve made a lot of sacrifices, as a school, to keep that nonsense out of here. So if you’re coming in looking for excuses, reasons why the rules are no good, and why they shouldn’t apply to you; if you’re coming in seeking to point out the failures of our systems and policies and procedures so that you don’t have to abide by them  – you’re coming to the wrong place.  

And before attacking me personally – just know: If you’re coming in thinking that I’ll turn my back on the hundreds of people investing their time, energy, trust, money, and help into our programs, the very people who are counting on me to uphold a higher standard for our school, because I’m afraid of not being liked - you’re in for a rude awakening.
​
I appreciate them far too much and I owe it to them to put my needs aside and get my job done.

Guess I’m just nasty like that.

​It’s important that dancers feel encouraged and motivated to ask questions and participate in their learning throughout class, but at the same time we have to keep the pulse of the class moving forward. This is especially important in a physically demanding discipline such as ballet, where the pace of the class directly affects the dancer’s ability to build stamina and strength. We have to ask questions intelligently and in this case, more is not merrier.

Curiosity and enthusiasm are awesome attributes and keep classes fun and lively – lack of discretion however is not so hot. Here are some guidelines to consider when asking questions in classes:

Limit the number of questions you ask when learning new material. More questions do not necessarily equal more learning, in fact just the opposite. Distracted minds flitter from question to question, while focused minds anchor down on the information being given. Our minds can only retain so much new information at any given time so only ask questions once you are prepared to absorb and retain the answer. During classes where you are learning new material, like terminology, sequences, combinations or choreography, keep your brain power available. Trust and respect your teacher enough to know that she will provide all of the information you need at the time you actually need it.

Also keep in mind, a full ballet class is about an hour and half of combos. Add to that time for questions and answers and we’ve far exceeded the amount of time you actually have with your teacher. Multiply that by everyone else’s questions and, OK, you see where I’m going with this. Be choosy – questions about safety/alignment/technique are always welcome - but be choosy. Time for dialogue is not built in to class time.

Limit the kind of questions you ask. When you ask a question, you alter the pulse of class for everyone. Questions directed to your teacher during class time should benefit everyone and not be individualized to only your own personal progress or to satisfy your own curiosity. A lively discussion once in a while is fine – but ongoing interruptions and/or irrelevant questions are problematic. For example, if you are working around an injury and you need information on how to modify an exercise, ask before class, not during. (And by all means, I’d love to know that a combination reminds you of spongebob squarepants, but we’ve got to keep it together people.)

Teachers should be giving between three and five notes to every student throughout a class -that is more than enough information to work with to make big improvements. Process what you’re being given. If you feel like you aren’t getting enough feedback from your teacher, speak to them before class and ask for more. It’s very likely your teacher is noticing that you are improving on your own or with notes given to the class as a whole.

Limit when you ask questions to when you have been invited to (if you have an absolute burning need to ask, jot it down in your notebook or on the mirror). Your teacher has a plan in place to introduce information as it becomes necessary and in a way that is most efficient for the entire class to learn. If you wait, your question will very likely be answered before you have to ask it. Also keep in mind that the more your mind is focused on your specific question, the more likely you are to miss other information that your teacher is relaying.

And finally,

Eliminate side-talking completely. There is no time in class when side-talking is OK. Obviously not while you’re dancing, definitely not while your peers are dancing, and don’t even think about it while your teacher is speaking. Even if you think you’re quiet enough – you’re not. It is amazingly disruptive and hugely disrespectful to your teacher and fellow students. You will miss needed information and will need to ask redundant questions. Chat before or after class with your buddies – do not side-talk.  (To put it plainly- my voice is one of my most precious assets and if I refuse to waste it on repetition and talking over you if you’re busy talking on the side. It makes no difference to me whether you’re talking about the brisé combination or spongebob.)

And so, dancers, we set off an another fabulous school year together! We are very much looking forward to our lively lessons, brisé combinations and overall fierceness.

Ms. Marissa will be performing a quartet with Victory Dance Project April 16th at 7:30. It is an amazing contemporary company directed by Amy Jordan. We hope to see everyone there!
Tickets are available here: http://www.victorydance.org/. The show is at Alvin Ailey Citigroup in NYC.

There are so many misconceptions about what it means to be a 501c3 non-profit organization. To my frequent dismay, it seems to be the most fascinating aspect of our studio at networking meetings and events. I find myself answering so many questions about tax exempt status, and forever trying to steer the conversation back to what we actually do here at the school, which is teach and perform.
​
Misconceptions have run the gamut from the time I was told that we’re not a "real 501c3". (The IRS begs to differ); 

To "but why don’t you want to make any money?" (While our salaries may be public information and board-determined, employees of non-profits do receive a salary); 

And to the most recent -"well, the NFL is a non-profit and they steal billions of dollars in profits every year so it must be really easy to get 501c3 status".  (I can’t speak for the NFL but I do know it took us a tremendous amount of applicant paperwork and filings, lots of expensive legal fees and about 2.5 years to get our status approved.  Whether or not you want to call that easy or hard, I guess is a matter of opinion.)

Here is what I’ve learned about directing a 501c3. (I am by no means an expert on tax exempt status- the below is merely my personal experience in directing one, and to answer some curiosities that our students, parents and community members may have. I consult with attorneys and accountants regularly in order to manage our school, and anyone interested in tax exempt status needs to do the same.)

First of all, being a non-profit does not mean that we don’t, or can’t, charge for our services and classes. The lights need to turn on, folks and PSEG ain't free. It does mean, however that our function needs to benefit the community:

                “You can start a nonprofit to aid a specific group or class of individuals — everyone suffering from heart disease, for example, or people living below the poverty level — but you can't create a nonprofit for individual benefit or gain. But just because you're working for the public's benefit doesn't mean that you can't receive a reasonable salary for your work. And, despite the name "nonprofit," such an organization can have surplus funds — essentially, a profit — at the end of year. In a for-profit business, the surplus money would be distributed to employees, shareholders, and the board of directors; however, in a nonprofit organization, the surplus funds are held in reserve by the organization and aren't distributed.”
-Understanding Non Profit Ownership for Dummies.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/understanding-nonprofit-ownership.html.

Being a 501c3 also means that our organization is not privately owned and any equity within the organization belongs to the organization. A founding director of a non-profit will often use the term ‘owner’ to convey that they have a vested interest in the well-being of the organization, or to convey that they have the authority to make decisions regarding the business, but Integral Ballet is ‘owned’ by the community, and I am a hired employee.

By the same token, being a 501c3 means that all of our decisions regarding policy and procedures need to be approved by the Board of Directors. I am not at liberty to make things up as I go along, nor can I excuse people from policy when I feel like it. We are as subject to our rules and bylaws as everyone else. We have to meet every 3-4 months to discuss everything going on. It's bananas trying to fit that in with full time teaching and full time administrative schedules with two director/teachers and the entire board - but it's so worth it.

Being a 501c3 does not mean that we cannot nor should not collect unpaid and overdue balances. In fact, it means just the opposite. I am still shocked at the frequency in which folks use the studio’s non-profit status as an excuse to not pay their bill. It’s ironic, since fees owed to the school are not in my personal interest, but rather that of the community’s. I actually consider myself even more accountable for that which is owed to the studio. Frankly, if I were a business owner and you owed me $5, I’d very likely forget it about it or not want to waste the time and energy on collecting – but since we are a non-profit, it is not my $5 with which to mess around– it ultimately belongs to my students and the community benefited by the studio.

Being a non-profit organization does not mean I need to produce my books, my staff’s salaries, operating bills and margins for your perusal at your convenience (yes, people do ask for that). It does mean that all of our financials and 990 tax forms are available to the public. Please feel free to download them from the IRS website.

Being a non-profit does not mean staff and employees are volunteers, although as teachers, we do volunteer a lot of extra time. It does mean that our salaries need to be approved by the Board of Directors and can be in line with what someone in a similar role would make in the private sector. 

Despite that non-profits are allowed to hire individuals for employment, no individual (or outside organization) can benefit financially (ie, profit) from the non-profit organization. That basically means that the studio cannot be sold. If and when we dissolve, all assets are distributed to a non-profit that serves the same mission.
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It also, and in my opinion more importantly, means, that profits earned are not distributed to shareholders or individuals but rather reinvested into the mission of the organization.

Non-profits are generally not able to obtain investor funding. Why would any investor want to give you money if your top priority isn’t, well, money? So sad… BUT, a non-profit can get grants, loans, often times credit, and tax deductible donations. Yay! Private sector schools and organizations also engage in fundraising and I believe are even allowed to accept donations, but they’re not tax deductible.

So why would we go through all of this trouble to become a 501c3?

Very simply, there is an inherent conflict of interest when individual shareholders are able to profit off of students. Nuff said. You cannot simultaneously do what’s best for your students and create the most-possible-profit.  I’m not saying you can’t want both, I’m just saying there will come a point, or several, where you simply cannot do both.

Any school that is concerned with the well-being of its students is, by nature, a non-profit organization. I don’t mean to say that privately-owned studios don’t have their student’s best interest in mind. Au contraire; In my opinion, whether or not a director wants to go through the litany of paperwork, the red tape of having every decision approved by a board, or the exposure of their financials in order to obtain IRS recognized status matters not. Most good schools operate as non-profits whether or not they realize it.  There is simply never enough money in a school (especially in the performing arts) for all of the programs, equipment, supplies, scholarships, etc. that would be beneficial to students.  I can’t imagine any quality teacher ever saying, ‘Ok, guys, we earned some extra cash this year and there is simply nothing that needs fixin’ around here so let’s divvy it up and have a ball.’  No good teacher ever said that, ever. Instead, they say things like, ‘Oh good, we can finally replace that broken DVD player.’ Or, ‘Oh good, Mrs. So & So applied for a scholarship and now Little One will be able to continue his classes’. Or any number of necessary things.

It’s also about transparency. Our board is comprised of parents, staff, alumni, community members and third-party professionals. Thanks to their involvement - and our meeting minutes - our student body and student families know the direction we’re going in all the time. They know our policies and procedures. More importantly, they know that their feedback is being heard because it has to be heard.

Here are some resources on non profit status:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/understanding-nonprofit-ownership.html
http://john.onolan.org/what-it-means-to-be-non-profit/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonprofit_organization

I’ve been getting a lot of requests for private lessons lately from parents of youngsters as we gear up for the spring company concert and the end of year recital. I definitely appreciate when a family recognizes that a child may need or want some extra help. While I don’t necessarily encourage young students to practice any new technical aspect of ballet at home (practicing something wrong makes you better at doing it wrong) – home practice is the only way to retain choreography and combinations. Just going over something in your head, by yourself without the assistance of your teacher, classmates, or videos, is the best way to practice at home. It only takes a few minutes and you can do it while you’re sitting on the bus, while you’re waiting at the dentist, or right before you fall asleep at night. It’s also a lot cheaper and a lot more effective than private lessons.

Barring any major scheduling issues, special needs, and/or coaching for a solo performance, there should be no reason for private lessons. If your child is doing what is required of them during class time, private lessons would not be necessary. If your child is distracted or not putting in the necessary effort during class, private lessons would be equally as pointless as class time.

My advice for parents wanting to schedule private lessons for choreography retention or general technical improvement is always to put that time and money towards additional weekly classes. I have seen time and time again that the number of weekly classes taken is by far the most impactful factor on a young dancer’s skill, technique, confidence and retention.

In the meantime, here are some pointers to better remember choreography:

1. Take the Steering Wheel and Walk Through It By Yourself (no music, no classmates, no help)
Do this immediately after you learn new choreography or at least before you go to bed that night.
When you think through a sequence of movements (or any thought for that matter), you trigger synapses in your brain. Once those synapses are triggered, they are more likely to repeat themselves. In other words, when you walk through a combination by yourself for the first time, you are laying down the tracks – each time you repeat that walking through in your head, your combination will ride more easily along the tracks. After a couple walk-throughs, you won’t even need to think about it anymore.
Walking Through It can include imagining yourself dancing the movements, marking through it with your body, or even writing it down. Anything that puts you at the steering wheel where you are leading, and not following, the combination.

2. Teach It to Someone Else
Ask a sibling, friend or parent to volunteer to ‘learn’ your choreography. When you teach a sequence of movements to someone else it can have much the same effect as ‘walking through it’ (above).  Unlike simply ‘showing’ your dance to mom or dad, explaining to them how to do it will solidify it in your head. It also will make any questions on the ‘teacher’s’ part very clear.

3. Know Your Terminology
Knowing your ballet terminology makes it much easier for you to talk or sing yourself through combinations. Movement is like a language so ‘fluency’ in that terminology of movement certainly helps. If there is a step that you’re unfamiliar with or you can’t easily recall its name, give it a name in your mind that works for you.

4. Sing It
Sing your counts or the name of the step as you dance it or walk through it. Sometimes we know ‘what’ to do, but we don’t remember ‘how’ it was executed (the phrasing, the dynamic, etc). Signing along as you walk through a combination really helps – just make sure you sing it the same way every time!

5. Cluster Your Steps into Longer ‘Sentences’ Once You’ve Established Muscle Memory
IE -Instead of remembering all 16 steps in a 16 count phrase, cluster the movements into digestible sentences. For example, if you are dancing a petit allegro: glissade, assemble, soubrasaut, port de bras, brisse, brisse, pas de bourree, once the movement is in your muscle memory, you can simply recall the ‘gatsby petit allegro sequence’. (Yes, that is from junior company Gatsby petit allegro).
 
Here are a few articles on retaining choreography that may help:
 
“Making It Stick” Dance Spirit magazine http://www.dancespirit.com/your-body/mind/making-stick/
 
“Strategies for Remembering Choreography” DanceAdvantage.net http://www.danceadvantage.net/remembering-choreography/
 
“Making It Stick” Dance Teacher magazine http://www.dance-teacher.com/2013/05/making-it-stick/

​I’m a Nutcracker addict. I’ve seen or performed in at least a handful of productions every year since I was a cast as a party scene boy and angel. I have a collection of (over?) a hundred Nutcracker dolls. What started as a post-performance gift from my parents, turned into a sizable army that fills up several family members’ living rooms every winter.   I don’t think there is a version of the Nutcracker I haven’t seen, at least on video.
Not a new story - it’s basically of a rite of passage for any ballet student, and a minor obsession for a ballet teacher.

For years, my family and friends have delighted with me in ushering in the magical holiday season with Nutcrackers near and far, new and old, scary and comical, plucky and professional. I like to think our plucky little production offers a little of each – new ideas, old traditions, fright, wonder and laughter. 
After all, we are years away from the buttoned up professional productions I’m accustomed to …or so I thought.

For example, you really need a corps de ballet of professional dancers to hold together the pristine, icy madness, the synchronized athleticism, the breathtaking, crystalline land of snow. The timing for that crash, for heaven’s sake...  And counting a 6/8... Not getting your branches stuck together… And making yourself not appear half as exhausted as you actually are as the sun rises and Clara makes her way through the melting snow…  Definitely need professionals for that. Children couldn’t possibly be expected to do all of that …or so I thought.

And you most definitely need professional actors to properly portray the eccentric, endearing, even though a bit scary, Uncle Drosselmeyer. He, after all, has to be both sweet and scary. Both charming and totally out of his mind. Kids can’t do that.  I mean they can try and it would be so cute. But they can’t really do that. Or so I thought.

And you absolutely need professional dancers to bring the heat for the hot chocolate, the richness for the coffee, the spritely spirit for the tea, the primness for the marzipan, and the zazzle for the candy cane, or so I thought.

Our students, cute as they may be… well, they’re only kids.

But after watching the last rehearsals this weekend, their drive, their willingness to throw themselves into their roles, their professionalism- helping each other with quick changes, preparing their props, packing their costumes... I realized I was totally wrong.

Dancers, you have worked your toesies off this season and I’m ecstatic to see you perform.  You can already hang with the best of them and you still have so far to grow. 
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You guys are the zazzle to my Nutcracker.  
Happy Dancing!