Practice Makes Perfect
Hello all! I'd like to introduce myself, My name is Annie Hackett and I am the Artistic Director of the Kenosha Academy of Dance, Music, and Drama. As we are approaching summer and fall registration, I thought I would address one of the most commonly asked questions that parents have--
Why are students in Ballet 2 encouraged to take class twice weekly?
Students' bodies need to adapt to the movement and to the positions. Like a musical instrument, you need to practice to keep growing. In ballet, practice is done in studio with a teacher present so students can be corrected as needed. A student who takes Ballet 2 twice weekly will likely advance to Ballet 3 after 2 years but a student who only takes class once a week will likely remain in Ballet 2 for 3 years.
For levels 3 and higher we insist on a minimum of 2 classes a week. Students need at least this much classroom time to master the intermediate to advanced movements presented in these levels. These steps must be repeated until they become part of the dancer's "muscle memory" ( the popular dance term for when a dancer no longer needs to think about how a movement is physically carried out).
As with any sport or musical instrument daily practicing is essential to success. And although daily class would be ideal, we understand that families cannot always afford the time or money for this. Two classes a week is the minimum an intermediate or advanced student should take in order to see real progress. Students should be encouraged to stretch and do strengthening exercises daily in their own time as well.
Think about your child's dance classes as you would their baseball, soccer, or swimming practices. Although dance is an art form it has the physical intensity of a sport and needs the same dedication to practice.
I hope this information helps you plan for next falls classes!
Annie Hackett
