Why do I love teaching adult ballet?
I love teaching ballet to adults because they are enthusiastic. If they are in class, it is always their own choice, and I find it very rewarding to share my passion for dance with them. I have dancers in my classes with all different backgrounds and experiences but they all come to class for the same reason – they want to dance!
I have a student who wanted to learn ballet as a child, but her family couldn’t afford it. Now she started ballet for the first time and made her dream come true in her 70s. I had a student who lost her husband to illness and had to work very hard to raise her children. After her children had grown up, she finally had time for herself and chose to start learning ballet in her 50s. I have several dancers who trained to dance professionally but had to stop due to various reasons such as injuries. One of them in her 20s returned to ballet after years of break and said to me, “the love & passion I once had for ballet disappeared, but you have well & truly sparked the joy again for me.”
I feel very fortunate to provide a place for adult dancers whatever their life paths have been. When my students say that coming to my class is a highlight of their week, I cannot be happier 🙂
What are my passion, focus & goals in teaching?
My passion is to empower dancers through the art form of ballet regardless of their age, background, body size, and shapes. I strive to provide quality training to adult dancers in a professional manner, but in a positive environment. I want everyone in my classes feels like they are a real dancer and artist. It is my goal to provide classes in which each student feels that they are cared for and supported through encouragement and feedback.
I focus on correct technique so that dancers stay safe, minimize injuries and improve the quality of dance. I strive for fun exercises with beautiful music, clear instructions, and practical advice for efficient learning, ensuring that everyone takes away something valuable from each of my classes. My classes are for people who want to keep improving while having fun and maintaining their fitness.
Do I still train as a dancer?
Besides teaching, I don’t dance every day as I used to, but I still go to class once or twice a week for my own training. This helps me to keep learning and challenging myself, and getting inspired by other teachers and dancers. I believe this makes me feel more related to my students and helps me be a better teacher.
There are things that I would never physically be able to do, but there are also so many other things that I find I can still improve, even after dancing for over 20 years and taking thousands of classes. I truly enjoy the process of learning in which I feel I keep progressing even little by little, and I am passionate about sharing it with my dancers.
When & how did I start ballet?
I started ballet at 9 at a local studio near my home in Tokyo, Japan. My younger sister began dancing before I did. I was always interested in it, but I was a coward and wasn’t brave enough to jump into the class immediately. I watched her dancing while hiding behind my mother’s back for 5 years before my father finally pushed me to join the class.
Why did I want to become a ballet teacher at first?
It wasn’t my childhood dream to become a ballet teacher. I simply wanted to become a dancer. But when I was in my first year in university as a ballet major, I met a teacher who changed my mind. Like many other young dancers, I sometimes struggled with injuries, physical limitations, negative body image, and scoliosis, but she looked after me, not just in the classroom but outside of the classroom. It made me want to become a teacher like her who supports students in various aspects, and I decided to add ballet pedagogy to my studies for the rest of 3 years at the university.
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