As summer time winds down, dance academics could also be beginning to consider their lesson plans and the way they will develop of their craft this coming 12 months.
Helen Cox is a dance educator, choreographer and mentor who teaches at Alberta Ballet College in Calgary, Canada. Cox looks as if the kind of instructor who’s all the time striving to develop in her craft. She acquired her M.A. in Dance from London Modern Dance College 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 lessons deal with up to date method, 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 up to date dance. Rambert Grades strives to create an inclusive and accessible framework for academics, who can infuse the technical workouts with artistic parts to rejoice the person scholar.
Right here, Dance Informa speaks with Cox about her expertise along with her Rambert Grades coaching and her private strategy to instructing.
At what age did you first begin dancing, and what bought 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 might for a couple of years, finally being accepted into Alberta Ballet College’s skilled division.
I had an older cousin that I regarded as much as, and I distinctly keep in mind seeing her in pointe footwear someday. It was in that second that I had a powerful sense of understanding 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 12 months and have lately accomplished grades 7 and eight. The coaching has given me an enormous enhance of confidence in what I can provide in my up to date lessons. The syllabus offers a broad vary of expertise, and I now consistently have the sensation of a full ‘toolbox’ to attract from at any given second.
The syllabus is split into three sections: efficiency, method and inventive. The method has as much as 13 workouts per grade, the artistic offers a spread of stimuli which guides academics into score-making, and the efficiency part lets you select a choreographer to deal with, with the choice to ‘bolt on’ extra choreographers’ work sooner or later. I selected to study Hofesh Shechter, and cherished studying the work. It feels so good within the physique, it’s grounded, very bodily and calls for every little thing of you. I simply set the grade 8 solo on a bunch of classically skilled college students at Alberta Ballet College, 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 approach. It’s a completely completely different approach of shifting from ballet and will increase their versatility as dancers.”
What do you suppose you may provide as a dance educator? And what are a few of your instructing objectives when working with college students?
“I wish to create the area for my college students to return into their full shade. My mission throughout all lessons, 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 method – that’s completely current, too – nevertheless it’s about reaching a rapport with the scholars to know that we’re on this work collectively. Actually, 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 contains 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 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, lots of that are hoping for a profession in dance. On that very same notice, the longer term could be daunting and may create an enormous quantity of strain. Maybe I really feel I can join with this age vary nicely as a result of I do not forget that time vividly in my life. It’s an thrilling but additionally weak place to be when dance has turn out to be your identification, however self-doubt could be a day by day battle. And these are formative instances in a scholar’s coaching. If we as academics 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’ll be doing as a profession?
“I had an enormous second of doubt after I was about 19. I keep in mind beginning to lose the desire to stand 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 up to date dance. I completely cherished 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 College of Toronto Dance Theatre (now known as Dance Arts Institute) in Toronto. I selected to take the trail of dance, however I feel there’s a universe someplace the place I’m a graphic designer.”
What recommendation do you must provide dancers who’re making an attempt to turn out to be nice dance academics?
“In my expertise, the skillset of a dancer just isn’t the identical skillset of a instructor. My recommendation can be to study as a lot as you may about pedagogy in dance, take programs and workshops, ask to look at lessons, and watch rehearsals of the individuals you look as much as. As soon as that information is ingrained, an important factor is your presence together with your college students. Quiet your thoughts and, as a mentor all the time mentioned to me, ‘Educate what you see.’”
You may study extra about Helen Cox at www.helencoxdance.com. To study extra about Rambert Grades, go to www.rambertgrades.com.
By Laura Di Orio of Dance Informa.