How to Help Students with Skips
Skips can be a difficult step for early elementary to beginning ballet students. They require more technique in a single moment than most other steps done in this age group. And they require a higher level of coordination. Add to that the fact that many kids today don’t run and jump and play outside today like kids used to generations ago, and skips become a challenging step for young children.
Manage Your Expectations for Skips
First, make sure you being realistic with your expectations. Don’t expect your 3 year old students to skip. Don’t even expect many of your 4 year old students to skip. Introduce skips in your classes at age 5.
Separate the Concepts
You really have two things happening when it comes to skips: technique and coordination. Don’t worry about the technique during skips (pointed feet, stretched knees, high jumps) until your students have the coordination (step-hop, step-hop, etc.)
Focus on Technique for Skips
If your students haven’t mastered skips, you can still focus on certain aspects of the technique—just don’t do it DURING skips. Focus on pointed feet, stretched knees, and keeping the working foot attached at the knee during passé walks, passé walks en demi pointe, and marches. Work on building foot and ankle strength with hops on one foot, sautés, or hopscotch.
Focus on Coordination for Skips
I like to break this down with my class the first few weeks we try it. I go across the floor with one or two students at a time: step-passé, step-passé, step-passé-hop, step-passé-hop, etc. Then I go across the floor with each student a bit faster for a true skip: step-hop, step-hop, step-hop, etc.
When Skips Just Don’t Click
You’ll likely have a student here or there who just can’t quite figure out the coordination of skipping. Here’s what I’ve found to work almost every time. Take that student, hold their hand, and skip freely around the room with them. Continue to say, “step-hop”, as you do the movements. And don’t call this student out—either have your entire class practice skipping freely around the room while you do this, or take a turn with every student in your class—even if they skip well.
Be Patient
It may take some students longer than others, but I’ve always had a student be able to skip after all of these steps outlined here. :-)
Once your student have the coordination down, THEN you can focus more on their technique during their skips.
Happy skipping!