Enhancing Musicality in Ballet Technique Classes

ABSTRACTWhen dance teachers include attention to musicality—beat, tempo, meter, accent, duration, articulation, rhythm, canon—in their class exercises, students learn to move with a deeper connection to the accompanying music, develop a greater awareness of dancing together as an ensemble, and acquire a nuanced physicality that enhances their artistic potential. Drawing from more than two decades studying with and dancing for choreographer Mark Morris—known for his deeply intelligent marriage of music and movement—the author, a member of the Mark Morris Dance Group and a teacher for Morris's company and school, details specific ways ballet teachers can increase attention to musicality in their dance classes by offering practical examples of exercises and techniques.