Nurturing Receptive Minds: A Dance Teacher's Guide for Providing Constructive Criticism to Students

One day as I was teaching a ballet class, I noticed one of my students falling out of her pirouette. I stopped to ask her to show me again, feeling as though the issue might be her ribcage splaying out- I wanted to help her make an adjustment for a more successful turn. She immediately froze, half embarrassed, half fearful, and refused to show me in front of her peers. 

This was just one of many instances of encountering a student who was not at all open to receiving feedback in class. When I first started teaching, this confused me a lot. After all, when I was a student, my day would have been made if a teacher took time out of class to give me a personal correction. 

Upon reflection, I realized that that was probably not how I would have felt naturally. But from a young age, my teachers explained to us all of the time how and why receiving corrections was a good thing, something we should be hungry for. Like anything else, being open to constructive criticism and implementing it are skills that need to be developed. 

Growing up in today's world does not help this situation. The need for instant gratification, fear of failure, and constant comparison to not just peers but literally everyone via social media all heighten children's sensitivity to critique.

Now on year 3 of teaching dance full time, I've discovered several effective strategies on creating a growth mindset for students. 

Building Trust

It is important to first communicate to students that feedback is not meant to criticize or judge, but to help them grow as dancers. Students will be coming to you from various backgrounds and experiences, and many might not trust or feel comfortable with you right away. But the more your students trust you, the more open they will be to your feedback.

The process of building a trusting relationship with your students will take time and can manifest in many different ways. It could be something as little as chatting with them about their days before or after class. Showing interest in your students as human beings in addition to dancers goes a long way!

Framing

Framing feedback in a way that is positive, constructive, and specific will help avoid making the critique feel personal. Feedback should never undermine the students ability, but instead highlight the students potential for growth. As my teachers did, I always communicate to my students that if I am giving them a correction, it's a good sign: it means I feel they are ready to implement it and therefore become a stronger dancer. I wouldn't bother if that wasn't the case!

Rather than just pointing out what's wrong, it is important to explain how to apply the correction: If you feel they can jump higher, do they need to plié more in their prep or adjust where they're looking? What does it mean to "engage your core" and how do they do that?

If a dancer is having a hard time with receiving feedback, try what is called The Sandwich Method. This is when you begin and end with something positive they did, and place the constructive criticism in the middle. This creates a balance that prevents the feedback from seeming too critical.

Eventually, the aim is to move beyond the sandwich method and just be able to give a correction, but this is a great first step when beginning to work with a new group of students or working with a more sensitive dancer. 

Connect Feedback to Goals

When giving a correction, it is important to explain the "why" in addition to the how. Communicate your reasoning and relate it back to the dancers’ goals and aspirations. This not only helps them understand how constructive feedback is crucial to their growth as dancers, but also serves as motivation to do what you want them to! 

Lead by Example

Show your students that you are ALSO open to feedback! One of my college professors used to pass us out anonymous surveys at the end of each semester to give her our thoughts on classes: what we enjoyed, what we felt we wanted more of, etc. This can demonstrate your own willingness to listen to others, while also providing you with some valuable information!

My approach is to express to my students when I have learned something new. As a professional dancer in addition to teacher, I frequently will share with my students things I'm currently working on and corrections my teachers/directors are giving me. In addition, I'll also tell my students when I feel I have made a mistake or did not explain something well. Teachers are humans too, and it's important my students know I'm not perfect (and that I know I'm not;) 

Celebrating Progress

On top of all of these methods, acknowledging your students' successes, regardless of how small they are, is very important as a dance instructor. Positive reinforcement boosts confidence and encourages your dancers to continue to work hard.

In Conclusion...

Young dancers need to know that their teachers believe in them and are rooting for their success. Remember that building a culture of openness to feedback takes time. Be patient, consistent, and supportive, and eventually students will become more comfortable receiving and using feedback to enhance their dancing.