So... my dancer just came home from Debbie Allen and was told her American Style Ballet was horrible...ie from a Russian ballet teacher who believes her way is the only way... my question to you... is what style do you teach and why??? In the last year we have added Finis Jung method and I love it... the dancers grow so much faster... your opinions please.

Cecchetti that is how I was trained and is the norm for most studios around here (except for the strict ballet school teaches Vaganova.)

Same here. Grew up on Cecchetti and that's what I teach.

Cecchetti and RAD, I prefer Cecchetti but it depends on the job as to what I'm asked to teach.

I teach Vaganova with a Cecchetti flair. I was raised on a mix of Russian/Italian/French...

I teach Vaganova. Checcetti is pretty unknown here.
I was trained RAD and later Vaganova.

I teach mainly Ceccetti. Some things are closer to Vagonava, but my older and more advanced students know that they have learned Ceccetti Arabesques and French arms for the basic positions. I also teach them the variances in terminology. I don't want them to go take from someone else and be lost. Once they hit the senior levels I encourage them to get Gail Grants Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet.

I don't teach ballet anymore but when I did it was a free class... no syllabus as their syllabus classes were done by other people (aka. the way I like it).

Personally however, I trained in RAD from 4-12 and then added privates which were Vaganova. I've done a few years of Cecchetti just to expand my learning. From training in all 3 I personally prefer Vaganova. I noticed a huge change in my dancing when I started this training. My legs were MUCH stronger as was my centre (but the ballet teacher was BRILLIANT so that might have something to do with it). I really grew up on RAD but I find that the syllabus moves quite slowly. I think Cecchetti is the "prettiest" and the majority of the studios I teach at use Cecchetti.

Trained Vaganova but I do not feel this is a style you can do unless you are a serious dancer. I teach RAD, Cecchetti and Vaganova at different studios. I know alot of teachers in US have been trained in Russian styles, but if you are not taking ballet 5 days a week, which most of our dancers are not, I feel the style is just too stressful on the body.

We don't use a syllabus at our studio. All of the ballet teachers are former professionals and our teaching is geared towards what is expected in professional companies nowadays. However, I would say it is definitely Russian-based, but we make sure the advanced students are also aware of how things are done in other styles, i.e. English, Balanchine, Bournonville, etc. I was personally taught Cecchetti in my earliest stages and it is good for basics but I don't think it really covers the level of virtuosity and versatility required by today's standards. I also have some RAD training and I think it is beautiful and I love the English syle, but again, most companies nowadays don't usually use this style. I am also heavily influenced in my teaching by principles of kinesiology, which has changed the way I teach some things from the way I learned them. I'm not super familiar with Finis Jung but my understanding is that it is very kinesiology-based.

Vaganova.

I was a student trained in RAD, Vaganova, Checchetti. I do no teach one method but a compilation of what I feel is best suited for the dancers I have at the time. With terminology I stick with basic French translations and pronunciation with the younger students to have a strong verbal and mental vocabulary of the exercises. I also slip in some Italian and Russian terminology as they are established in the foundations and can handle some new information that stimulates the brain and they have to associate it with the body (ie.; tour jete/ grand jete entrelice (sorry my spelling stinks and there are accents that have been neglected, I'm sorry Madame Mami et Madame Liso))

I teach a mix od Vaganova, Bournonville, and American because I was trained in a mix of all three. I try to make sure as our student's progress they are aware of variences in terms and positions for as many of the styles as we can cover so they can adapt to the instructor wherever they go...though we mainly try to stay Russian based in their training.

One of the posters pointed out something big for me...I teach Cecchetti and I love it! But I never feel my students reach that next level with it. They learn the basics quickly, become great with vocabulary, etc. but it doesn't really cover many levels. I've been considering Finis Jung, I like his CD's but I hesitated on purchasing his curriculum because I wasn't crazy about they way he teaches turns. I think I will revisit the idea and tweak/adjust between the two styles.

I was trained in Vaganova, so when I teach ballet that is what I stick to. I think it challenges the body and the mind.

I teach the Cecchetti terminology, as that's what I was raised on, although at another studio I taught Vaganova for over a decade. I do not use the Cecchetti syllabi, though. Our studio has its own syllabus developed for our program. We do teach the older kids terminology from other methods, so they can be more versatile. We also have guest instructors, master classes, & conventions frequently, so the dancers are exposed to other terms besides Cecchetti.

Vaganova

Vaganova.

Vaganova.

I teach from the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet syllabus. It is a great one for laying a strong dependable foundation particularly if the dancer increases the amount of classes they take each level but I'm sure that's how it works for any syllabus.

Vagonova with a Balanchine influence.

terpsidance wrote:

I teach from the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet syllabus. It is a great one for laying a strong dependable foundation particularly if the dancer increases the amount of classes they take each level but I'm sure that's how it works for any syllabus.

Where do you find this syllabus? I did a google search and nothing came up (except the cpyb website).

I studied and teach a mixture. I probably use mostly Cecchetti, but I don't strictly use a Cecchetti syllabus. I use one that my studio director developed years ago and have tweaked it over the past 20 years as I have seen it necessary. I do let my students know that they may have other teachers who do things slightly differently, and learning more than one style just makes them more versatile and more marketable in the future.

shoppingmommy wrote:

Where do you find this syllabus? I did a google search and nothing came up (except the cpyb website).

The staff at CPYB gave it to us in our packet at the teacher workshop. It was part of the cost of the workshop.

I am a mutt with my ballet training. I was trained by teachers of so many methods, and honestly, the basic stuff is all the same.

The Russians have a tendency to be very technical but American dancers have such passion and artistry that I do not see in many Russian trained dancers (in Russia).

I use mostly the Vaganova method but since I teach only recreational classes at this point, I have to play with it a bit, since they do not study more than two classes per week.

When I studied at the Joffrey, and a few other schools, teachers were all trained in different methods. It was nice to "cross-train".