This is not a blog post about how to make ballet easier. Ballet is complex---that's part of what makes it a lifelong activity.
This is a blog post about the very human phenomenon of complexity bias. It's our tendency to prefer complex solutions over simple ones. A student asks you a question and---oops---4 minutes later you realize you just gave them way more information than they were ready to process. Or we gush about how amazing performing is, about how great all the preparations are . . . and we accidentally scare off a bunch of students because it sounds overwhelming.
Simple is almost always the best approach. Giving a student enough information to get started with a new concept is (surprise!) enough information to get started. In fact, it will serve them better because the process of trying and getting more information as you give feedback supports both lasting learning and intrinsic motivation.
Instead of writing the world's most complex lesson plan where you manage to fit in every single vocabulary your students have learned so far, prioritize and simplify. If every moment in your class is maximized, you don't have the time or brain space to answer when creativity knocks. Sure, the class had a lot of information, but is it worth sacrificing creativity or artistry?
When something in your teaching feels complex, bordering on overwhelming, simplify it. You're not lowering your standards; you're crafting a situation where you can focus on what's really important to you. Whether that means simplifying a formation in choreography so the dancers are able to master the timing or slowing down your pace through your curriculum so that you have time to focus on clarity in technique, go simple.
Ballet is complex but solutions work best when they are simple.
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