Are Amazing Ballet Dancers Also Amazing Ballet Teachers? Not Quite.

Ballet is full of dancers who amaze us with their technique and artistry. Watching them perform can leave you wondering how they make everything look so easy?

It’s natural to think these incredible dancers would also make fantastic teachers. But when they step into a ballet studio, some great dancers may struggle to explain their skills to others. Why is that?

The Natural Dancer’s Perspective

“I’m not a teacher” said Baryshnikov on multiple occassions.

For some dancers, ballet feels instinctive. They might have natural flexibility, strength, coordination or bone structure that allowed them to progress quickly through training. Because movements just “clicked” for them, they may not have had to think deeply about things like placement or core engagement during a pirouette.

While this makes their dancing impressive, it can leave them struggling to teach those same concepts to students who need detailed explanations.

The Art of Teaching

Teaching ballet involves much more than demonstrating beautiful movement. A skilled ballet teacher needs to analyze, adapt, and engage with their students. This means understanding each student’s challenges and breaking down movements in a way that makes sense. Effective teaching requires several key skills, including:

• Understanding the technique: A deep understanding of the relation between human anatomy and ballet technique is critical. Without this fundamental knowledge, teacher won’t be able to connect the dots, understand where the student struggles and offer a solution.
• Explaining Technique Clearly: A ballet teacher must be able to describe every aspect of a movement, from how to initiate turnout at the barre to maintaining balance during a pirouette. The goal is to connect the steps to fundamental principles like core engagement and placement.
• Offering Tailored Corrections: Every dancer learns differently. A good teacher can pinpoint a student’s individual challenges and give corrections that are easy to understand and implement.
• Patience and Empathy: Learning ballet is not easy. Teachers must remember how frustrating it can be to master difficult steps and provide encouragement that helps students improve without becoming disheartened.

A good ballet teacher doesn’t just tell students what to do; they teach them why certain techniques are important. For instance, explaining how proper placement and turnout help avoid injuries or improve stability gives ballet dancers a deeper understanding of their movements. And a motivation to do it right.

If you’re curious what do we mean by this, download our free “7 Quick Ballet Posture Fixes” checklist, in which not only we show what to do to instantly improve your ballet posture, but also explain the reasons and offer a quick test you can do to see for yourself that we’re not bluffing.

Free Ballet Technique Checklist!

Download FREE Actionable Proper Placement Checklist

Why Personal Experience Isn’t Always (Never?) Enough

Even dancers with years of performance experience might not naturally improve as teachers. Dancing focuses on personal execution or mastering choreography, while teaching puts the focus on analyzing and supporting other dancers’ progress. For example, a dancer who executes flawless pirouettes might struggle to explain how to approach them in steps—such as maintaining ‘balance’, engaging the core, or using coordination correctly.

The transition from the stage to the studio is a big adjustment. Teachers must put themselves in their students’ shoes and guide them through challenges they might not have faced personally. Think of it this way: just because someone can do something doesn’t mean they can explain how to do it.

The Importance of Understanding Fundamentals

A skilled ballet teacher understands that real progress begins with mastering the essentials. Core principles like proper placement, turnout from the hips, and maintaining a lifted posture are the foundation for every movement in ballet. Teachers who emphasize these basics help their students build strength, stability, and control—qualities that support even the most advanced choreography.

For example, a plie isn’t just bending the knees; it’s a fundamental exercise that builds and strengthens turnout and prepares the body for jumps, turns, and extensions. A teacher who can articulate how pliés connect to larger movements helps students see the bigger picture of their training. This thoughtful, structured approach ensures that dancers advance safely and with purpose.

Another great example is core engagement and maintaining your body straight. We’ve seen over and over how teachers don’t pay attention to the fact students don’t use their abdominals properly (often due to leotards not being tight enough in that area – which is why we designed our leotard that has super tight core area for better visibility), or even promoting “neutral back”. We’re more than sure that this isn’t done on purpose, but this is where lack of fundamental knowledge shows the most, eventually damaging the student.

Developing Your Teaching Skills (For Aspiring Teachers)

If you are working toward becoming a ballet teacher, there are a few ways to strengthen your teaching abilities:

1. Focus on Clarity: Learn how to explain both what to do and why it matters. Helping students understand the reasoning behind corrections makes lessons stick.
2. Observe and Adapt: Every student is different. Pay close attention to how dancers respond to your corrections and adjust your approach when necessary.
3. Gain Proper Pedagogical Knowledge: Teaching isn’t something that comes naturally to everyone. Studying teaching methodologies or working with experienced educators can make a big difference. Make sure however the knowledge is based on proper foundations that bring results.

As you develop your skills, remember the importance of patience. Students don’t always progress as quickly as you’d hope, but your ability to adapt and guide them through their challenges is what makes you a great teacher.

We’re not advocates of using aids such as rubber bands (the greatest era of ballet was prior to these inventions – when Baryshnikov was at his prime, he had no idea what rubber band is – this should tell us something). However, we do believe that in order to help the student to improve the technique, teacher must be able to see all of the dancer’s lines. Which is why we designed the leotard that’s super tight in the abdominals area – not only this helps a dancer to engage the core muscles more, but allows the teacher to see whether the dancer uses her abdominals to the fullest extent.

Are Your Core Muscles Engaged?

In case you missed it, out leotards are designed specifically to help you engage your core muscles. Click here to buy.

What Dancers Should Look for in a Teacher

We understand that when it comes to choosing the teacher, it’s not always this much straightforward. There might be personal preferences, relationship – constraints or simply the fact that there’s no other school in the area.

But if you’re lucky enough to have that kind of choice, when choosing a ballet teacher, ballet dancers should focus on more than just their background as a performer. A great teacher isn’t necessarily someone with an impressive performance résumé but someone who can guide your progress effectively. Look for a teacher who:

• Communicates Clearly: Can explain technique in a way that makes sense and resonates with you.
• Provides Specific Feedback: Gives precise corrections that directly address your challenges.
• Understands the Fundamentals: Has a deep understanding of the ballet technique and can make every student (regardless natural abilities) improve.
• Focuses on Fundamentals: Prioritizes fundamentals like placement, turnout, and core engagement to build a strong technical foundation.
• Understands Individual Needs: Recognizes that every dancer has unique strengths and areas for improvement, tailoring their approach accordingly.

However, if you don’t have this kind of choice and you still want to improve, our “7 Quick Ballet Posture Fixes” checklist is a good way to start, for it can support your learning inside and outside of ballet classes. Combining quality instruction with resources like this can help you get the most out of your training.

Conclusion

Ballet teaching is an art form in itself, distinct from the art of performing.

While extraordinary ballet dancers continue to inspire audiences worldwide, exceptional ballet teachers inspire their students daily, helping them reach their own potential. The ability to teach requires patience, the capacity to analyze movement, and an understanding of how others learn—qualities that even the most gifted dancers don’t automatically possess.

By understanding what makes a skilled teacher, dancers can make informed choices about their training, and teachers can cultivate the tools to guide their students effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)