Finding Patterns of Ease and Stability in Ballet/Movement Can Have a Positive Effect On Our Lives

When I teach movement/help people to find patterns of ease and stability, I am watching to see where energy/weight does not transfer/flow/shift in a balanced fashion. Using a combination of things including imagery, anatomical discussion, and experiential exploration, I have students do movements/exercises to encourage awareness and new patterning, to build strength and resilience.

The positive effects on the psyche that can be created when one achieves new/previously unattainable things can be profound.

In the realm of my movement work with students: being able to transfer weight to one leg and balance; being able to learn, remember, and successfully execute a movement sequence that carries you across the room; being able to change the alignment of your body- bringing you both ease and stability, instead of struggle and discomfort- as you execute movements; being able to identify a restriction/misuse/misalignment that is keeping you from achieving a goal and then bringing positive change and being able to achieve that goal: all of these things can have a positive effect on how we view/feel about ourselves.

"Communication is key": What do my students hear when I say things? How do they interpret what I say? How are they able to utilize/incorporate what I say? Part of my job is to watch how my students process what I am saying, and to follow through- giving them more feedback as they are exploring/applying new ideas, ensuring that they come away with a positive learning experience.

I work with individuals as well as teach classes. Right now the classes I am teaching are Adult Introduction or High Beginner Ballet classes.

As my students explore and and begin to apply the concepts I am teaching, they then have new ability to do the movements/exercises in our ballet class, and these changes can also have a positive effect on/in the rest of their lives, on many levels.

Some exciting moments with Ballet students this past week:

~ A student who is also a long-time horse rider has been having some new/very recent difficulties with something when riding. After our private lesson, that horse-riding difficulty was much lessened.

~ In another private lesson, a student who has had difficulty going onto releve was able to go onto releve and balance with much more ease and stability.

~ In another class situation, students who had been having difficulty shifting weight and balancing were able to shift their weight onto one leg (chasse fourth to arabesque a terre) and find balance with ease.