I cannot deny that I started formal dance training in ballet. And I had the good fortune to have grown up on the island of Jamaica in a culture infused with dance and an appreciation for how movement tells stories and conveys information that defies words, or explains more than words could ever do. The National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) was formed the same year as the island declared its indepedence from colonial England, and continues to thrive. Movement is the heartbeat of Jamaica's music, rituals, current events, theatre, and even our patois. Have you ever seen a Jamaica speak without having their whole body engaged by their accent? Okay, I may be overstating things a bit here, but rhythm does permeate all things Jamaican!
My first ballet teacher, Ms. Normadelle Facey, actually found me at age seven in a "musical movement" class taught at my school by one of her students. I regret that I don't have any pictures of her available for this blog. However, this post is about the many different ways we find our dance teachers. As I moved around the world, I almost never knew anything about the first dance (usually ballet) class I would take in a new city. Once in that first class, I would ask other dancers in the class, or the teacher, where else I might be able to take class. I suspect that this word-of-mouth is still the best kind of advertising for such a personal choice.
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| Me teaching, at the beginning of a modern class. Photo: John Lyons |
But as I have mentioned in earlier posts, it is not always just the designated teacher at the front of the room from whom we learn to "dance". Taking class alongside of other dancers has always been an incredible opportunity to learn and share one's own accomplishments and challenges. And many times, the teacher may not be as facile as they once were as performers, but the astute teacher's knowledge and understanding helps each dancer find their own strengths on which to build.
So this is a genuine question from me to you, "how do you find your ballet (or any dance) teacher?"
Sadly, Jean Pierre Bonnefoux, recently passed away, and I was familiar with him and his wife Patricia McBride from their days as storied stars of New York City Ballet. Then after I joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company, their names kept coming up as directors who loved Paul Taylor's dances and had licensed a few of them over the years.
Dancing gave me wonderful opportunities to encounter brilliant dance personalities whom I felt taught me so much about performing, learning and watching dance, even when they weren't teaching me directly. Many people are emotionally very vulnerable when starting to learn a new discipline of any kind. Staring out in dance as an adult can feel like an insurmountable challenge, yet many people learn to enjoy the effort when they find the right teacher for them.
Certainly, in NYC, I have mostly been known for my time with Paul Taylor, and my dancing definitely evolved under his eyes and in learning to embody repertory works from long before I joined his company. Yet my dance journey was about connecting the skills I already had and employing them in ways I had never imagined before. As a teacher you might often see me pause while I imagine myself dealing with the challenges I see a dancer facing. I may use imagery, physics, simple games, and many other teaching devices to help individuals find their solutions. And I often try to distinguish how conventions of movement in ballet and modern dance forms actually serve to build good technical habits.
Here's a clip of me dancing with Oakland Ballet in Ruthanna Boris's "Cakewalk". I was known for my cleanliness and speedy footwork, and I am quite proud to have done this when I was in my early twenties. There is a short drop out in the video...
I would love to have you join me for class in New York City at Taylor Dance West, on W 38th Street, where I get to explore two dance forms that I have lived with for most of my life.
Tuesdays 6:00pm - Adult Beginner Ballet
Saturdasy 2:00pm - Advanced Modern
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