As summer time winds down, dance lecturers could also be beginning to consider their lesson plans and the way they will develop of their craft this coming yr.
Helen Cox is a dance educator, choreographer and mentor who teaches at Alberta Ballet Faculty in Calgary, Canada. Cox looks like the kind of trainer who’s at all times striving to develop in her craft. She acquired her M.A. in Dance from London Modern Dance Faculty in 2014, and instantly burst into the instructing scene, alongside her freelance performing. She has expertise working with younger dancers by means of to vocational college students {and professional} dancers. Her courses deal with modern approach, choreography and improvisation. She was the founder and director of Youngsters’s Modern Dance between 2014 and 2019.
In 2023, Cox started her coaching by means of Rambert Grades, a corporation that provides syllabi and on-line examinations in modern dance. Rambert Grades strives to create an inclusive and accessible framework for lecturers, who can infuse the technical workouts with artistic parts to have fun the person scholar.
Right here, Dance Informa speaks with Cox about her expertise together with her Rambert Grades coaching and her private method to instructing.
At what age did you first begin dancing, and what received you into it?
“I began classes at 5 years previous and for household causes needed to cease coaching by means of most of my younger childhood. I picked it up once more after I was 12 and did each class I may for just a few years, finally being accepted into Alberta Ballet Faculty’s skilled division.
I had an older cousin that I regarded as much as, and I distinctly bear in mind seeing her in pointe footwear in the future. It was in that second that I had a robust sense of figuring out what I wished to do with my life.”
When did you begin your Rambert Grades coaching, and what has been your largest takeaway from this system?
“I began my Rambert Grades coaching specializing in grades 1-6 final yr and have just lately accomplished grades 7 and eight. The coaching has given me an enormous enhance of confidence in what I can supply in my modern courses. The syllabus supplies a broad vary of expertise, and I now always have the sensation of a full ‘toolbox’ to attract from at any given second.
The syllabus is split into three sections: efficiency, approach and inventive. The approach has as much as 13 workouts per grade, the artistic supplies a variety of stimuli which guides lecturers into score-making, and the efficiency part permits you to select a choreographer to deal with, with the choice to ‘bolt on’ extra choreographers’ work sooner or later. I selected to be taught Hofesh Shechter, and beloved studying the work. It feels so good within the physique, it’s grounded, very bodily and calls for all the things of you. I simply set the grade 8 solo on a gaggle of classically skilled college students at Alberta Ballet Faculty, and it was a remarkably rewarding course of for all of us to see every of them dive into the physicality in their very own means. It’s a completely completely different means of shifting from ballet and will increase their versatility as dancers.”
What do you suppose you may supply as a dance educator? And what are a few of your instructing objectives when working with college students?
“I need to create the house for my college students to come back into their full colour. My mission throughout all courses, ages and context is to encourage individuality, company and self-expression. I work to create an area the place my college students really feel assured to be themselves and to really feel a way of pleasure of their dancing. This doesn’t imply we don’t get into the nitty gritty of approach – that’s completely current, too – however it’s about reaching a rapport with the scholars to know that we’re on this work collectively. In actual fact, one of many causes I used to be drawn towards Rambert Grades syllabus, which is central to my instructing apply now, is that it aligns very a lot with this ethos. The syllabus has been created to foster self-expression, unleash their artistic drive and take private duty.”
Your profession consists of instructing all ages – from youngsters to professionals. What’s your absolute favourite age to show, and why?
“I don’t have a favourite age per se, however just lately I’ve been working with vocational dancers between grade 9-12. It’s an thrilling age vary to work with as a result of every scholar has an vitality of trying towards their futures, a lot of that are hoping for a profession in dance. On that very same word, the longer term might be daunting and might create a large quantity of strain. Maybe I really feel I can join with this age vary effectively as a result of I do not forget that time vividly in my life. It’s an thrilling but in addition susceptible place to be when dance has turn into your identification, however self-doubt generally is a each day battle. And these are formative occasions in a scholar’s coaching. If we as lecturers can encourage our college students to be courageous, discover their individuality and push themselves ahead, that may imply the world.”
In the event you weren’t a dance educator or concerned within the dance business, what do you suppose you’d be doing as a profession?
“I had an enormous second of doubt after I was about 19. I bear in mind beginning to lose the need to rise up early and get to ballet class within the morning, and at that time, I did two issues: I enrolled in a night graphic design course and utilized to audition for pre-professional coaching in modern dance. I completely beloved the graphic design course. There was one thing just like what I used to be doing within the studio; the readability of shapes on the web page felt the identical as carving out actions within the studio. I additionally had a profitable audition at Faculty of Toronto Dance Theatre (now known as Dance Arts Institute) in Toronto. I selected to take the trail of dance, however I believe there’s a universe someplace the place I’m a graphic designer.”
What recommendation do it’s a must to supply dancers who’re attempting to turn into nice dance lecturers?
“In my expertise, the skillset of a dancer is just not the identical skillset of a trainer. My recommendation could be to be taught as a lot as you may about pedagogy in dance, take programs and workshops, ask to look at courses, and watch rehearsals of the individuals you look as much as. As soon as that data is ingrained, a very powerful factor is your presence together with your college students. Quiet your thoughts and, as a mentor at all times mentioned to me, ‘Educate what you see.’”
You possibly can be taught extra about Helen Cox at www.helencoxdance.com. To be taught extra about Rambert Grades, go to www.rambertgrades.com.
By Laura Di Orio of Dance Informa.
