Are private ballet lessons truly valuable?

As I mentioned before, we tried working one on one on many different occasions and with many different teachers. Most of the time it was a really good experience, but we quickly learned that consistency is key to see any type of improvement. However, being consistent with private lessons is not easy.

First, there is the precious time that you need to find to commit to having private lessons. That is something I still struggle with. Finding an hour or two between a full-time job, my girls’ school, ballet classes, performances, rehearsals, pilates and who knows what else is a true accomplishment. If you can figure out the time and commit to it, you are half way there.

The second half necessary for successful private lessons is finding the right connection with a perfect teacher. A teacher who is perfect for some may not at all be for others. We are lucky that we have met many great teachers, but the connection is what separates the good from the great.

A great teacher creates an environment and has a teaching style that helps your dancer not only grow and learn, but also understand and want to engage more. This is what helped my daughter. She had many teachers and classes and she loved all of them because she loves to dance, and she will take any opportunity to do it. However, it was not until she met a teacher who truly believed in her and was devoted to making her understand her abilities, spend the time on all the little details, teach her about her body and hone in on her weaknesses, that she felt and exhibited a great change.

This was a pivotal moment for my daughter as she found a perfect atmosphere where she felt safe to be exposed as a dancer. According to her, this is the best way to progress. And boy, did she. She would come home happy after most of her lessons, but there were days she felt frustrated as she thought that she could have done better, and, most importantly, she never wanted to disappoint her teachers. “I hope they still see the potential in me. I know I can do better. Do you think they still want to work with me? I want to make them proud!”

If you ask me, that kind of a willpower is hard to find. I would like to think that I am strong and do not give up easily, but this is a different level. Working one on one takes a lot of hard work, focus, sweat, tears and pain. What surprises me the most and helps me support my daughter’s endeavor is the positive attitude and always optimistic outlook that she has, which in my opinion has helped her get far. I hope it follows her for the rest of her life.

So, to conclude, I truly believe that private ballet lessons go a long way, at least for my daughter. She strives in a more intimate environment where she can show all her faults, only to learn how to be cognizant about them. Being pushed and eventually applauded helps her focus on those areas that need improvement. Hearing the same corrections in the same style helps her anticipate them better and eventually learn to utilize them herself. I have seen it in her and I am all for private lessons!