How I Make Classes

Some of you have asked how I come up with our class combinations.  Well, it's a process that takes a bit of time, but which I find quite fun, fulfilling and creative.

It usually starts with the music.  From my shamefully large collection of ballet-class CDs and iTunes albums, I select an one I'd like to try out.  I play it in the background, while I'm doing my day-job, and note down the songs I like most.

During my spare time, I also scrounge Instagram and YouTube, looking for ideas that other teachers do in their classes.  I enter notes for "combo ideas" into a GoogleSheet I keep for that purpose.

When it's time to create a class, I skim though my selected album and pick the specific songs I'd like to use.  Then I decide on the movements and elements I want to include in class.  I usually try to prepare more than time will allow, so I'm guaranteed not to run out of material.

Then comes the fun part.  I'll sit at the kitchen table, playing the music on my laptop, and listen with my eyes closed to what the music is suggesting.  In my head, I'm seeing movement, and working through variations.  I review my "combo ideas" to see if there are any that fit well with the music; and I check the combinations we did in the past few classes, to avoid redundancy and ensure that the classes are advancing, gradually, in complexity.  Once I have a good idea of a specific combination, I "mark" it out, using the back of my kitchen chair as a barre.  Then I type the combination into a GoogleSheet for that class, using my own notation system.

Once I've finished the full class, it's time for a "test drive."  I print out my class notes, and go try them full-out in my workout room, noting down any changes or tweaks I need to make.  When I'm satisfied with the class, I print a final copy of the notes, and burn the music for that class to a CD.  Then, I rehearse the class on myself, for a couple days running, to make sure I know it pretty well.

Before I started teaching, I never imagined how fulfilling and creative this process would be.  It brings me new challenges and knowledge that I'm continually grateful for.  And I look forward to bringing new, fresh content to our classes, to keep you moving in healthy, inspiring, creative ways.

Happy dancing, everyone!