Taking a Master Class
I’ve taken over a hundred master classes in the area, surrounding areas, and New York. These are the key elements I can think of to get the most out of a class, the teacher, and yourself.
Dress For Success
If you are taking a ballet class, girls should wear a pink or black leotard with pink tights and pink ballet slippers. Feel free to bring a skirt and pointe shoes, but don’t expect to use them if not specified. Hair should be neatly pulled back from the face in a secure, no fuss way. Buns are preferred for hair shoulder length or longer. Boys should wear white or black t-shirts with no writing and black shorts or tights and black slippers. Anything fussy will bring attention to your clothes and not to you and your dancing. Girls are welcome to express themselves with small pretty earrings or hair accessories. No other jewelry, except a watch, and don’t overdo with make-up or garish nail polish.
If it’s jazz, tap, or modern, black is best all the way across the board. It makes you look slimmer, taller and keeps a clean line. A colored leotard with black tights or black jazz pants is acceptable, but keep the color solid. A lot of master teachers I have met love purple- Liz Walton, Jermaine Goodson, and Frank Hatchett to name a few. It will help them to connect with you right away and have something to discuss. This is never a bad thing! Again, no jewelry beyond the small earrings and watch and remember about the hair and make-up.
No holes, seriously, and clean shoes say a lot about you. These people are trained to look at bodies meticulously, they will notice.
Prepare for Class
If you are tired, malnourished, or ill, don’t go to the class. You won’t dance your best and you won’t be able to focus on the information presented. Get rest, eat a sensible meal, and stretch before you go in. Don’t leave the room unless it is an emergency and ask permission quietly. Use the bathroom before class or during a water/shoe break.
Prepare yourself to be open to new things. They may teach a different style than your current teacher, explain things differently, or have different expectations. Going in with an open mind to enjoy class no matter what can make a big difference in what you take away. I’ve been to classes that I hated, but I always learned something from them and the teacher. I am grateful to have the opportunity and it has shaped my dancing and teaching style.
Asking Questions
This is the most important part of the entire class. You don’t want to be needy or a show-off, but you do want to get the most from each teacher that you can. Most people learn best from watching and then doing. Pay attention to details like arm movements and style, not just foot work. If you are confused, explain that you are not sure if you are doing it correctly and could you please see the section, arm movement, whatever it is, again. I know one teacher who has you show what you think it is so she can help you. I know others who just show it again. Leave it up to them and never say you don’t get it!
Manners Matter
Never dance other choreography than what is given in that particular class. Say please when asking for something. Say thank you for corrections. Excuse yourself if you bump into other dancers. Let the regular or older students have their spots at the front or rotate lines. Remember to mark the combos at the back, out of the way of others. Say thank you at the end to the instructor, accompanist, and host. It says a lot about you.
