The best dance teachers I had when growing up were ones who saw each student as an individual—regardless of what curriculum, school, or method of dance they taught. So what makes a great dance teacher great?

7 Pre-Ballet Benefits

Most of us started dancing simply because we loved it. But did you know ballet provides more benefits to children than just joy of movement? Here are seven simple benefits of pre-ballet classes for young children...

MarketingAshley HartfordSeptember 25, 2020pre-ballet, benefits, ballet benefits

Beginning Your Preschool Dance Class with a Storytime

I think as teachers, many of us have our favorite ways to begin a preschool dance class. We bring our students into the classroom, mark the role sheet, then what?

Tips for Teaching Tots to Wait their Turn in Dance Class

Today I want to give you a few quick tips for teaching tots—on helping your students wait for their turn during travelling exercises.

7 Planned Transitions for Preschool Dance Class

Planning transitions for preschool dance classes is one of those things that can be easily forgotten in a dance class. BUT, if you teach toddlers or preschoolers, I don’t need to tell you what you already know: transitions will make or break your classes.

Keep Your Toddler and Preschool Dance Classes Running Smoothly

For seasoned teachers and newbies alike, you can never have too many tips in your teacher’s “toolbox”. If you’re just starting out teaching pre-ballet, here are some tips that will help your classes run more smoothly...

teachingAshley HartfordJuly 14, 2020classroom management, once upon a ballet, pre-ballet, teaching

How do You Know if You’re Correctly Teaching Turnout in Pre-Ballet?

When it comes to teaching turnout in ballet, there are many schools of thought on when to begin teaching turnout, how much turnout a student should be able to maintain while dancing, and when to introduce what positions.

Getting Started with BrainDance

You’ve likely heard the term “BrainDance” before, but what exactly is a BrainDance? And does it differ for toddlers and preschoolers when compared with older children?

Dance Class Structure

Once Upon A Ballet classes have a structure, but that structure is flexible. You can shorten or lengthen exercises and activities as appropriate for your students. You are also welcome to rearrange the order of the class to best suit your teaching style and the needs of your students.

teachingAshley HartfordDecember 10, 2019class structure, class flow, pre-ballet, preschool ballet

Teaching through Themes

In Once Upon A Ballet classes, children learn their first dance steps through fairy tales and classical ballet stories. Many childhood care facilities and schools teach theme-based curriculums in their classrooms.

teachingAshley HartfordNovember 12, 2019teaching ballet, class themes, fairy tales, teaching

Better Leaders

According to Forbes, ballet can in fact make you a better leader. I love the reasons they cite. Here are the reasons that make their list.

MarketingAshley HartfordOctober 22, 2019leaders, ballet benefits, pre-ballet, preschool ballet, beginning ballet

Fairy Tale Advantage

When children come to ballet class, their dance activities take them through a fairy tale story, allowing them to be part of the fairy tale.

teachingAshley HartfordOctober 18, 2019teaching, ballet, fairy tales

Ballet Classroom Etiquette

Classroom etiquette may vary slightly from school to school and from teacher to teacher. To me, classroom etiquette is basically how students are supposed to behave in a ballet class.

Teaching Curtsies

We've all seen it. It's recital time, and it's time for a group of little ones to line up and curtsy. (Of course, boys will bow, but for the sake of simplicity we will say curtsy in this post.) Regardless of whether they are pointing one foot front or crossing one leg in back to curtsy, it always seems in disarray.

teachingAshley HartfordAugust 12, 2019curtsies, teaching ballet, beginning ballet, pre-ballet, preschool ballet

Teaching Turnout

There are many schools of thought on turnout in ballet. At Once Upon A Ballet, we recommend the degree of turnout progresses according to each student’s ability and age.

teachingAshley HartfordAugust 5, 2019turnout, teaching ballet, pre-ballet, preschool ballet, beginning ballet

Tips for Teaching Boys in Ballet

Did you know that fairy tales aren’t just for girls? Sure, we tend to stereotype that princesses and fairies are for girls and cars and trains are for boys. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

teachingAshley HartfordJuly 29, 2019ballet teacher, teaching tips, teaching ballet, boys ballet

Pre-Ballet Classes

For seasoned teachers and newbies alike, you can never have too many tips in your teacher’s “toolbox”. If you’re just starting out teaching pre-ballet, here are some tips that will help your classes run more smoothly.

teachingAshley HartfordJuly 1, 2019pre-ballet, preschool ballet, teaching ballet, ballet teachers

7 Ballet Benefits

Most of us started dancing simply because we loved it. But did you know ballet provides more benefits to children than just joy of movement?

MarketingAshley HartfordJune 24, 2019ballet, pre-ballet, preschool ballet, ballet benefits

Teaching Ballet Basics

Two of the first “real” ballet steps we teach in our preschool ballet classes are plié and tendu. These are also almost always the first two exercises older dancers do at the barre in ballet class.

teachingAshley HartfordJune 3, 2019ballet, plie, tendu, parents, pre-ballet, preschool ballet, beginning ballet

Where They Start

You've probably heard this before. These days, children seem to be starting ballet at a younger and younger age. There's good reason for that.

MarketingAshley HartfordMay 20, 2019teaching ballet, ballet studio