2 3 Wild Wednesday Classroom Etiquette | Ballet Webb

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Wild Wednesday Classroom Etiquette



Wild Wednesday Classroom Etiquette

In a classroom setting, during center practice, it is traditional for the men to stand in the back line, and to dance after the females do the combination.

Unfair! I’ve heard this complaint many times. It is because the men assume it is a sexist practice (and the belief that ballet “favors” the women). But there is a very practical reason for both traditions.

The men stand in the back line in the center because they are usually taller than the women. Simple as that. But this practice is also related to the tradition that men dance after the women. Men dance after the women so the person playing the piano can slow the tempo down when the men’s group steps forward onto the floor. Again, the etiquette has a practical purpose and is designed to help the class run as smoothly as possible.

This is not to say that these rules are set in stone. Any teacher/director can change things during class as they see fit. But these etiquette practices for men are still followed in many classrooms.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #2d8:
“Male dancers usually stand in the back and dance after the females in class.”

Link of the Day:

Quote of the Day:
“Manners are the ability to put someone else at their ease...by turning any answer into another question.”
― Tina Brown

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