One-hour is not enough.
It’s not enough time to understand the importance of the quadratic formula in calculus, it’s not enough time to perform heart surgery, and it’s certainly not enough time to learn, practice, and improve dance skills in order to advance to more complex movements in any class.
We have all heard the cliché that “practice makes perfect” and ideally that would be true! However, in a study done at the University of Michigan titled “Repetition and Retrieval from Memory” they concluded that “A model of the effect of repetition on recall requires at least three variables: total presentation time, recognition of repetition, and opportunities for independent contextual coding” (Melton, Science, Oct. 1967). In other words, for a dancer to understand the importance of relevé, it must first be presented and learned, repeated not once but multiple times for them to recognize it as a repetitive idea, and the opportunity to individually work and process the idea of relevé as it concerns to their style of dance. Basically, one-hour of class a week is not enough time for a student to understand relevé and begin fouetté turns the next week.
Students who excel in class/dance style are the students who practice full-out in class no matter the mistakes they make, comprehend and meditate upon the corrections they are given in class, and then go home and practice – focusing on the corrections the instructor has given them.
“I feel like going to class every morning is so humbling. You’re always working to improve, and you’re always being critiqued on your next performance. It’s not about what you’ve done. There’s always room to grow.” ~Misty Copeland, Principle Dancer for the American Ballet Theatre.
