Okay, the new season is just about to start. Any ideas on how to start ballet with a bang? I'm going to have a discipline talk first and then I really want them to leave wanting tmore.

I love using popular songs that are covered by piano and quartet bands. It really gets the kids pumped up because it is classical music but since they recognize it they get excited about it. I just found a lot of great ones on itunes or you could order the CDs online.

Check out:

Vitamin String Quartet: www.vitaminrecords.com . . .

Vitamin Piano Series:
www.amazon.com . . .

Piano Tribute Conservatory:
www.amazon.com . . .

My favorite ones that I have picked for ballet are "How to Save a Life" (cover of The Fray), "Clocks" (cover of Coldplay), "Love Story" (cover of Taylor Swift), "See the Sun" (cover of Dido), "Hey There Delilah" (cover of Plain White Ts) and they even have a cover of "Just Dance" (cover of Lady Gaga) that is fun.

I love it! THANKS!!!!

Great mids think alike!! I was going to post some of the same songs!! I love the band Bond as well, but tend to use them more ATF than at barre or center...

Keep it exciting and changing in a small way each week, I am one of the teachers who believes in doing the same combo for a few weeks and then changing it slightly or totally on them to impress upon them the skills of picking up quickly, but I love doing the same combo to different musical selections to vary the tempo or intensity Adds flavor to the class and the kids are happy that they are not learning a new combo every week in center. I do this 4-5x a year and they love it. I also work on student choreography with them several times a year. Things like adagio or reverence that they have to make up on the spot. I play 2-8's of the music to let them hear the tempo and then they dance September is always soooo much of a pulling teeth episode and then soooooo much better by June I do it again in December with a Holiday song and then in February with a love song to help them feel it more.

I also have my older kids journal each week about their praises/corrections. We do this the last 3-5 minutes of class. I saw such a HUGE improvement in my kids once they started to write their thoughts down. They really get excited to journal too. Some stores are selling spiral notesbooks for as little as $0.15 right now, so I pick up about 25 and then a pack or 2 of cheap pens and they can decorate their books with stickers and such a few weeks into the school year (usually Thanksgiving break I let them take them home). Just an idea for soemthing else you could do to help their learning process. I have had real success with my classes doing this. It makes them so aware of their corrections/praises. I journal back to them each week as well telling them the things that I saw that week. They love having my feedback next to theirs

Anyway, have fun...Change up the music and be excited yourself and they will love it!!

Sharon

That journal idea is a fantastic tip MissSharon73. I think I'm going to do that one this year. It will help me out too as sometimes I think I'm too critical and forget to point out their strengths and improvements. I'm glad this thread was introduced as I am alternately excited and dreading the start of ballet as I have some mischievous imps that keep me on the edge at times but I love em!

Terpisdance...That is one reason why I did the journals!! I tell my students that for every negative thing they write about their dancing, they MUST enter a positive as well, so sometimes they will have 6 entries for one night. That is why I leave ample time to write. Then I have fun assignments from time to time in addition to their journal entry, so they get about 5-6 minutes to write and we omit the reverence that night and do a simple curtsy/bow...

-First Entry...Set a goal or two for yourslef this year. Make it an attainable goal that we will re-evaluate in June
-Halloween: what was your fave costume, candy, song, etc...
-Thanksgiving: What are you most thankful for?
-Winter Holiday: What are you most looking forward to giving/receiving this year. What is your fave holiday song? What is your fave Holiday tradition.
-Valentine's Day:What do you love most about dance?
-Deserted Island...If you were stranded and could only bring ONE thing, what woul dit be?
-National Dance Week: What does dance mean to you?
-End of season/final entry: What have you learned this year in class? Did you achieve your September goals? What will you continue to work on during the summer/next season?

The kids LOVE the fun themed questions!!

Have fun if you do it!! I think Staples is selling spiral bound notebooks for $0.15 until Saturday, so pick up a bunch and be inspired My local grocery store is selling them for $0.20 as well...

Genius! I spend so much time stressing over getting them to meet the technique goals of the year that I forget to relax and create fun learning experiences that are also memorable for them. I shall be getting notebooks tomorrow! Thanks!

You're so welcome!! I can't wait to get started this year

Fabulous stuff! Thanks a lot.