After class last night I asked the instructor if this school ever offered adult partner classes. See, back in the mid 80s I got to work with the girls' pointe class so they'd have an opportunity to see what it was like to do lifts and turns with a partner. I have fond memories of this and think it'd be fun to learn.
This instructor used to manage the place and still has a lot of influence. Her response was an emphatic "NOOOOooo!" She explained that they don't teach partnering to the kids until they're quite advanced, and the two things she would never offer to adults is partnering and pointe. (Those who have already learned pointe elsewhere may be permitted to wear them in class and get advice, but it's not taught.)
Frankly I'm disappointed. I'll be the first to admit that I have a long way to go to come close to any of the academy-track kids, but I think it's silly to limit the adults that way. It's not like we're going to damage our dance careers by learning it prematurely.
This instructor used to manage the place and still has a lot of influence. Her response was an emphatic "NOOOOooo!" She explained that they don't teach partnering to the kids until they're quite advanced, and the two things she would never offer to adults is partnering and pointe. (Those who have already learned pointe elsewhere may be permitted to wear them in class and get advice, but it's not taught.)
Frankly I'm disappointed. I'll be the first to admit that I have a long way to go to come close to any of the academy-track kids, but I think it's silly to limit the adults that way. It's not like we're going to damage our dance careers by learning it prematurely.
Aw, that is too bad!
ReplyDeleteYou are right, offering pointe or partnering to adults, if they are physically capable of it, really will not harm them.
I wonder what reasons the director has for not doing so where you are?
Just outside of Washington, DC, USA. I expect I could find a studio that offers an adult partnering class if I looked hard enough. The instructor did mention that possibility; she didn't say it was a bad idea, just that she didn't want THIS school to offer it.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing I'd like to see is a men's class, with a male instructor. I don't know how many would sign up for it though -- we seem to be scarce as hen's teeth.
Funny. My adult ballet classes (for people who began ballet as adults) are mostly women (no surprise there), but all taught by men! I just started pointe work at another studio and find it very refreshing that the pointe class is taught be a woman. Whole different perspective, I must admit. There are male regulars in my ballet classes (safe for the pointe class), but I don't think that there is either a men-only-class or a partnering class offered. Hmm. Wondered about that, too.
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