The ballet teacher's job is two-fold. First, to teach dance technique. Second, To teach the love of dance. Both aspects are critical to a good dancer. Without the love of dancing, it does not matter how good of a dancer you are; you will never be worth watching. Can you ever be truly good at something that is drudgery? Attitude shows in dance. Whether you love it with a passion or hate it with a vengeance, your audience will be able to discern what your true feelings are.  

It is this second aspect which I often find difficult as a teacher. My students only see me dance for fourty-five minutes a week. During that time, they had better see a dancer who loves the art that she teaches, regardless of whether or not I am exhausted and wondering if I really do like dance at the moment. They do not see me jump out of bed in the middle of the night to write down the step sequence that just came to me, or spin and leap in my living room, choreographing dances which no one will ever see. I must convey to them in forty-five minutes, the delight of controlling your body, making it do what you tell it to do, feeling the good pain of hard working muscles, and moving in harmony with music.

Enthusiasm is not enough though. Carefully, I must mold their bodies into the rigid shapes and movements required by classical ballet. I must teach them not only how to do a step right, but also how to do it beautifully. Bad habits cannot be allowed to form. They will result in worse technique later, or worse, in potentially lifelong injuries.

 Students must be taught to chase after perfection; never becoming satisfied with the latest acheivement, but always striving towards the next level.  A balance is maintained though; frustration and discouragement can squelch the love of dancing.

In addition to all this, I desire to constantly point my girls to the One who created their bodies. They must learn that while it is their responsibility to bo their absolute best,  they must give the glory for their accomplishments to the One who gave them their ability. Their desire to excel must stem from their desire to honor Christ in all they do.

When confronted with my responsibilty as a teacher, I am a bit overwhelmed, and very humbled. I do not feel very equal to this task. I am so grateful to have a group of truly eager students this year. If this is what my job is in order to teach ballet, how enormous is the job of parenting! I only train their bodies, their parents train their souls.