From Adult Starter to Canada's National Ballet School Graduate - What the Teacher Training Program Taught Me About Learning Ballet
Graduating from Canada’s National Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program this year, after stumbling into my very first ballet class ever twelve years ago at age 37 still feels like major plot twist energy. How did that even happen?
(In case you’re new to this blog - you can read the whole back story here.)
Now, about four months after the graduation ceremony, things have settled a bit. And I am back to taking classes at NBS, but more about that later.
The Big Questions and worries before starting the Program
I remember the big questions when I started: Will I be able to keep up, with the pace, the material, the expectations, the excellence? While juggling some intense responsibilities at home? And mostly: Will the training be the satisfying, fulfilling, and highly educative experience that I hope it will be? Will it create a true new career path for me? I had already started teaching occasionally at that point, I really liked it - but could I create a life in which ballet and teaching it would become my main gig for the foreseeable future?
But maybe the even bigger, THE biggest question was: Would I get better at ballet? Could the program give me something for my own ballet learning that I couldn’t get from my regular adult ballet drop-in classes? All the little ballet secrets and insider habits that you could only get in a place like that? And that I could then pass on to my own adult ballet students as the more informed teacher that I would hopefully become?
To Become a Better Teacher, Become a Better learner
I think that question reflects something I have always felt as a teacher, coach, advisor: In order to become a better teacher, I need to become a better learner. I have to understand the learning process as deeply as I can, I need to feel it in my bones.
So going into the program, I was excited that I would finally learn how kids are taught and how that differs from my experience as an adult, how ballet is built into a body from scratch; how a good progression from zero to advanced could look like. And then, of course, if/how all of that could be adapted to someone starting late.
Let me begin answering by saying that yes, my hopes and guiding questions were more than fulfilled - the program was an absolute and incredible blessing and I am still pinching myself. It was also probably one of the hardest things I have done - emotionally, physically, and juggling-wise.
Top Observations, Insights, Thoughts, and Conclusions
While the full and complete set of conclusions will take much longer to form, and it will require actually doing a good chunk of teaching in the next coming months and years, I wanted to share some first insight/learning bites. It will be a mix of explanations, experiences, and insights, and I am trying to frame them in a way that could possibly help some of you adult learners on your ballet journey.
1. Mix of Learning Formats
This is more of an observation and some helpful background to understand the structure of the program and why I found it so valuable. What stands out to me about the TTP is that it allowed me to learn ballet and about ballet in very different settings and from different angles, that were both super hands-on/practical as well as theory/evidence. Here is the full range of classes and teachings that I got to take:
Actual dance/technique classes in Cecchetti, RAD, and NBS Curriculum, of which Cecechetti and RAD also resulted in taking external ballet exams. This was the prime opportunity to work on my technique and pursue my own ballet dance goals
Pedagogy classes: These were classes that covered the progression of ballet within Cecchetti, RAD, and NBS Curriculum, typically staring at Grade 1 of each method up to and Intermediate level. These classes were usually a mix of doing exercises and analyzing/talking about them. These classes were also building towards taking an external teaching qualification exam.
Assisting/observing: Throughout all three years, we observed and assisted classes that were taught by NBS faculty. Both in NBS’ recreational kids program as well as in the Professional Ballet Program. And for me also in NBS Adult Ballet. This was a mix of just watching, observing, taking notes - and getting up, giving corrections, ocasionally teaching an exercise.
Actual (paid) teaching: While this was not a mandatory part of the program, I believe that most everyone was teaching in some capacity while in the program. I personally did not teach any classes at NBS, but rather substitute taught at In Studio throughout the second and third year of the program. This was an opportunity to bring insights from the program and see how it could inform my own building of classes.
Watching performances, Benesh movement notation, Music, History of Ballet, History of Art: I am lumping these together because they all gave me so much background and deeply informed the artistic side of ballet - in a very concrete and systematic way. For instance, movement notation reinforced for me that there is a lot of precision in artistry. The History classes gave me so much context for the development of steps, shapes, and positions.
Anatomy and conditioning: These classes helped me map artistry and technique onto the physical layer.
Special interest topics and workshop weeks: These were one-off formats - workshops, workshop series, specialty classes, modules - that allowed us to explore topics not usually covered in our classes. This included more in-depth pointe work, partnering, adult pedagogy, theater/stage production and many more.
2. Ballet Progressions: Cecchetti, RAD, and NBS
I think this may have been one of biggest deals for me coming out of the training: Learning about year-by-year progressions. Because the whole time since I started ballet, I didn’t even think very much in terms of progressions - I was so used to drop-in classes doing all the ballet steps in some random order, if in any order at all. Which meant that a more advanced level typically meant more advanced steps and combinations, but I never considered that there could be system in terms of which steps comes first, what not to do in the beginning, how to build turnout, leg height, etc.
Now, I believe that learning ballet without following a proper progression doesn’t work well, and it explains to me why I struggle with certain aspects of technique, despite so many years of learning. I mean, yes you will still learn steps even without a systematic progression, but it won’t the create the stability and precision that makes ballet look solid and effortless at some point.
While I do like the big methods like Cecchetti, RAD, NBS Curriculum (which is based on Vaganova), I don’t think that they’re the only good ones. A teacher, or an individual school can absolutely create their own curriculum - as long as they are committed to following it.
Also I think one of the biggest benefits of a good curriculum or syllabus is not just what to do when, but what not to do when. That there is value is in waiting rather than speeding. I think that’s a big one for adults, especially the ambitious ones - because often getting better quickly is glorified. However, it can result in foundations are not that well developed and come to haunt you later. And I think the advantages that adults have is that they understand the value of postponing advancement in exchange for a more solid foundation - their brain is mature enough to be able to wait.
3. The Value of Conditioning
Even though I have worked as a strength & conditioning coach for many years and therefore know the immense value of proper conditioning., the program made me aware of how proper ballet-specific conditioning can support the learning of ballet, beyond just general strengthening and mobilizing. In particular, I think it’s key for the following two areas:
1) Building turnout in a way that maximizes what you have and makes it usable/maintainable through movements and movement sequences
2) Building flexibility that can support ballet patterns - like e.g. hip and back flexibility that allows separating the movement of the leg bones, pelvis, and different segments of the back.
Often adults are told, especially in the beginning, to not worry that much about flexibility or turnout and “work within what they have” - but I now believe that starting to increase available range will not only make the learning process more effective, but also healthier and more fun!
4. Mirrors Might Be Holding You Back
I still remember when at the beginning of the program, we were told that NBS has shifted away from using mirrors as a default. All studios still have mirrors, but they are normally covered up by a set of curtains spanning the whole width of the mirrors. Or, alternatively, classes are taught away from the mirror.
We were also told that that not only applied to the professional ballet program, but also to our teacher training program, so that we could experience what it meant to teach/learn without mirrors.
I also still remember the deep anxiety that I felt when I heard that. I was always highly reliant on the mirror, to check form, lines, angles, posture. I was afraid that I would have no way to get instant feedback if we were to work without mirrors.
To my surprise, I quickly turned into the biggest fan of mirror-less teaching - and three years later, I remain a fan. I think the biggest two things were 1) a sense of relief and freedom to not always have to check how I looked. Because, if I am honest, with checking unfortunately comes judgment. What was meant as a quick check of a line can easily turn into self-depreciation. And that can easily turn the learning process into a constant assessment instead of giving it unobserved time. 2) I realized that not checking how I looked started to develop my inner reference points - awareness and the inner feeling connected to when a movement patterns works vs doesn’t work.
NBS’s rationale for not using mirrors also includes that it can disturb the eyeline, contribute to body image issues, and leave students unprepared for the stage.
Mirrors are still used, but only occasionally as an intentional teaching tool. Sometimes it does help to match your inner perception with the visual result, and the mirror can be helpful for instance when learning body alignments and port de bras lines and tracking.
Nowadays I like a healthy mix - I try to do the bulk of my training without mirrors, but when I am in another studio where mirrors are routinely used, I am ok with using them as an additional reference point.
5. Learning Pirouettes - Do Adults stand a Chance?
I was really curious how pirouettes are taught to kids, and if there is something to learn for teaching adults, given how much adult students often struggle with pirouette learning, and especially with bringing their pirouettes to consistency.
My conclusion at this point, after watching many teachers teach and correct pirouettes: There is no consensus, and most teachers, even the experienced ones, are somewhat vague when it comes to teaching pirouettes to adults.
Some swear by teaching a solid pirouette position and then get it to spin; others propose letting kids spin in all kind of forms in order to build comfort with turning. Some focus on intricate details, others advise to “attack it”. Some focus a lot on spotting, others more on building a solid axis. NBS old philosophy was also to hold off from letting kids do multiple pirouettes until higher levels, whereas now it is changing to introducing multiple pirouettes much earlier.
And then with regard to adults, I feel there is a lot of resorting to “well adults are just more afraid of turning, so they contract and lose their form” as if that was the ultimate barrier that can’t be overcome and not much can be done about it.
From my observations, and my own experience, the truth might be in the combination of it all, although maybe there is a bit of a mystic component, too, lol. I will summarize my insights and conclusions in a separate blog post soon.
6. Load and Recovery In a Movement-Oriented Life
They were not kidding when they said the program would be physically intense. it truly was. Typically at least one dance class per day, and often two. Plus Ped classes, other dance forms, and conditioning. But - I loved it. Because first of all, I have always lived my life as a daily movement practice - so I was somewhat used to it and welcomed it. And second, it gave me a chance to observe how my body would do under such a load and how I would need to take care of myself. Especially as I was hitting my late 40s and was curious if anything would change. Here are some insights:
Ballet is a fantastic lifelong movement practice. I mean, the best, lol. It hits all physical parameters, it has the artistic and graceful side, and you can adjust it in so many ways to fit your current abilities. And it has jumping for lifelong bone health and muscle power, which is something that a lot of adults lose when they grow older
“Do something all the time”. This is a quote Sonia Rodriguez, the former National Ballet of Canada principal, said to me in a conversation recently when I asked her how she maintains her amazing physical qualties in her early 50s. She shared how she always does something when there is idle time; there is always a mat and bands around, and a lot of low-intensity unstructured work rather than single big high-intensity workouts. I find that for myself, too. I am more into short circuit-like strength workouts at home nowadays - so there is no barrier of having to go somewhere. Same for stretching, although I tend to make those sessions a bit longer, because they also serve calming of the nervous system etc.
I need less training input now than when I was younger. I don’t know if it’s because awareness for the quality of executing a repetition gets better with age, or if the whole physiology is more sensitive. Or because I understand the role of recovery better. Or maybe because the overall physical capacity somewhat decreases? In the end, it doesn’t matter. If I can get the same progress with less effort, I’ll take it :)
Sometimes it’s still too much, and it’s hard to always track it. My main challenge was that I didn’t just do full-time school and a super intense program - I also had a lot to juggle at home. Like, big-ticket items and not least caring for my disabled son. And I tend to push myself, so it can be hard for me to catch when the threshold for “too much” is crossed. I also think, looking back, that overload was the reason why in the end, my Cecchetti Advanced I exam didn’t work out and I dealt with some physical issues that have resolved since then. Sometimes you just have to give it your best shot and learn from it, and hopefully really learn from it lol.
There was a lot of leeway to adjust the load in the program. While yes, it can be intense, there is also room to accommodate for students’ needs. Some students had chronic issues or injuries and marked a lot of the classes. I also had some flexibility when my commitments at home couldn’t wait. Because in the end we all know that the quality of a teacher does not depend on how perfectly they can demonstrate, but rather how well they can convey the qualities that need to be developed and cue students to express their full potential.
7. The Adult Ballet Bias is Real - But There is Progress
We know how our adult ballet community has grown like crazy in the past decades. Adults can now find ballet classes almost anywhere, and if they can’t, they can always find some online. There are adult companies, exams, performance opportunities, intensives, and competitions. Major ballet schools and companies run adult classes. We are told that “it’s never too late” to start ballet.
And yet.
An invisible barrier and bias remain, and I felt that in the program, too. Everything was oriented towards teaching kids. All my class mates had danced since childhood. I learned that NBS doesn’t emphasize hands-on corrections for adults, in order to not add any pressure - while they fully commit to giving such corrections to kids, in both their recreational and professional programs. Talking about programs - NBS runs both an open AND an intense (by audition only) stream in their recreational kids program - but only an open stream in their adult ballet program.
I also felt that my lived experience as someone starting late was never really tapped into or seen as beneficial and despite the amazing experience that I had throughout the program, the feeling of “I don’t fully belong” never quite left me. This world felt like built for those starting young, and those who didn’t existed more in contexts of “recreational”, “fun”, or health-oriented adapted community initiatives for older adults and adults with neurological conditions. The idea that someone who started as an adult would want serious training hadn’t landed. And when I asked Cecchetti Canada if I could do my teaching qualification exam with adult students, I was told “no”. It’s not even that it was unreasonable for them to decline (their rationale was pedagogic and made sense to me) but showed me how far we still are in more serious ballet teaching from treating beginner adults in the same way as beginner kids.
On the other hand, things also moved. I was able to carve out several opportunities throughout the program where I was able to work with adults, and it was super beneficial and eye-opening. And I made it through the program as possibly the first, but hopefully by far not the last, adult-starting student.
And I think our growing community is also a testament that things are shifting globally and late-starting students are recognized and acknowledged as part of the ballet community, and their exceptional commitment to learning celebrated and appreciated.
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What’s next?
So, now that the training is done for me, what now?
First of all - I am back at NBS for Cecchetti Advanced I classes and for my Cecchetti Associate (which is the teaching exam) preparation. My original plan to do the Advanced I exam last June, and the Associate two days later didn’t work out: I didn’t pass the Advanced I exam, and hence couldn’t enter the Associate. So I am trying again next spring, hopefully with a more successful outcome. While failing the exam was super disappointing at first - I had done Advanced I classes for two years at that time, and had put a huge amount of work into preparing for both exams - I am not mad. Taking another year to hone technique and artistry feels like a blessing now, and more spacious, because now I can do it without the pressure of the whole program.
Second, I have decided to stay in Canada for now, even though the immigration piece continues to be tricky. But, I have now submitted a work permit application and am already able to continue working. My plan is to run my own classes and close the gaps that adult student who want more serious training often face in drop-in settings. It’s still challenging for me right now, as my son is currently struggling with his transition to college and that currently takes up the majority of my time. But, I have practice with juggling now, so it will eventually happen.
And third - I am so happy to get to do ballet, no matter what happens, and continue this lifelong journey of movement and grace. I feel so fortunate that I can step into a studio, forget everything else, and experience my body getting stronger, more skilled, and the joy of it all. I love seeing all the other adult students who take time out of their day to keep working, learning and loving it.
Where do Learning and Progress end?
It’s been quite the ride since I auditioned and got accepted into the program in 2022. Then the refused study permit and the deferred start. I am very aware and immensely grateful that graduating from the program was a dream supported by a whole community: My crowdfunding donors, neighbors and friends who helped me at home, NBS’ support throughout, and of course all the students that I got to work with ever I started teaching ballet.
Maybe the biggest thing that graduating from TTP showed me is that, in fact, there is no need to set limits as to what is possible and that the body’s and brain’s lifelong learning capacity is real - whether it’s graduating from the National Ballet School as an adult, or learning pirouettes..
Maybe not everything is possible, but once you get started and focus on the next achievable step, you never know where you’ll end up. It could as well be one step further than you think!