Dancing in a Virtual Studio
On today’s episode of The Dance Docs I am joined by the founders of the Veyette Virtual Ballet School, Lauren and Francis Veyette. They opened their virtual school in Spring of 2018 and have a deep knowledge of how to operate a virtual classroom. Since so many companies, colleges and studios have transitioned to a virtual setting I thought it would be a great opportunity to gain some insight from these two.
Modifying class for smaller space
Barre
Anything solid that you can hold onto will work as a barre
Stool, chars and counters can work
Sometimes having a more unstable surface will help you to realize where you weight is or if you are relying too much on the barre
Floorspace
Small spaces can still work
Want enough space to do a full swing of your leg
Clear space so you do not run into furniture
Try to keep pets, and siblings out of the space during class time
Mirror
While a mirror is nice it is not necessary
Have to work on feeling the movement in your body instead of just seeing the movement.
How to navigate different floors/ what shoes to wear based on your floor
Marley
Is nice but not necessary
Inexpensive option is molded shower liner that can be found at home depot
Can wear any shoes on Marley floor
Continue to be cautions if you are jumping and the floor is not sprung under the marley
Wood
Offers a little bit more cushion than tile floor but still be careful if you are planning on completing jump combination
Can wear ballet shoes
Tile
Tile floors tend to be slick and the dancers will have to work harder to find overall control from hips rather than from knees and feet
Ballet shoes are ok for class.
Not recommended to complete jumps on tile floor in ballet shoes, consider switching to sneakers or completing a cross training program instead
Consider sneakers for jumps to allow for increased shock absorption on harder floor surfaces
You can consider using a yoga mat for small easy jumps and stay in your ballet shoe
Avoid jumps that require brushing the foot on the floor if on a yoga mat or in sneakers
Best set up for your teacher to be able to see you
Angles
Want full body view of a dancer
Usually requires 8 feet of distance from camera
Ask the dancer to change their position or reposition their barre
Have to be flexible as the teacher as well if space is limited
Do not be afraid to show front and back during a combination
Sometimes viewing combinations from the back will show areas of technique that require work as well
Lighting
Natural light is nice but any light is fine
Make sure that light is shining on you not from behind you
Helps to decrease shadows
Viewing Dancers
Consider plugging laptop into larger screen
Allows to the teacher to view the dancers more in depth than on a smaller screen.
Do your best to make things work with what you currently have
Attire for class
Normal Classroom attire for teachers and students
Ballet class
Ladies- leotard and tights
Gentleman- tights and tight fitting shirt
Can begin with normal warm-ups still on
Teacher still needs to see your body, how you are moving to allow for corrections
Do your hair, and make-up as you normally would for class
Helps to keep you in the right mindset for ballet class
Creates a sense of normalcy
Feel like the Ballerina you have always wanted to be
Suggestions for Teachers
Music delay
If student runs the music on their end they will be in time with the music
If the music is run from the teacher or through a pianist there will be a delay in movement
If using live accompaniment on zoom you need to mute all others so the music is the primary channel.
The teacher will also need to be on mute if choosing live music
Monitor for musicality even with time delay
If student Rhythmically about the same amount behind consider them on the music
If a dancer is holding something to long and moving too far off the music
If a dancer is finishing and holding their 5th position
Unfortunately it is something that you have to get used to in virtual classes
Giving corrections
By running music on the teachers end you can talk over the music to provide feedback during an exercise to the dancer
Group classes
Group corrections
Give 3 or 4 corrections before the combination begins, and again between sides
Use you knowledge of common movement faults to give group corrections before you begin an exercise
Monitor the dancers and find the cues that will create the most change in multiple individuals
Due to communication taking longer in the virtual classroom versus the physical classroom sometimes longer or repeated combinations can be more beneficial
Can do right and left sides together with corrections during the combination, make further corrections once finished and then repeat the combination again
Individual corrections during a group class
Individual corrections can be harder in a group setting because you are unable to walk over to a dancer to make the correction
Individual corrections can be done between combinations
Many times dancer will come over to look at phone and you can make corrections then
Can also have someone demonstrate and allow other dancers to watch
How to find a class that is the right level for you
There are many options right now to take class from your idols, or trying other techniques but you want to be careful and make sure you:
Avoid injury
Don’t create bad habits because you are not getting feedback
If you do find yourself in a class that is more difficult than you expected should you:
Enjoy watching the more advanced technique that you may not be ready for
Modify by slowing down, using less port de bras, etc.
Beginners and adults might benefit more from private lessons right now
Many professional dancers are offering one on one sessions during this time
Might be the best time to take class directly from an idol, you have the opportunity to receive corrections from them as well as have a conversation with them that might not normally happen.
Veyette Virtual Ballet School offers Instagram live intermediate class on Sundays at 4:00pm EST
Time for refining technique
Take this time to work on fundamental elements that you sometimes forget about because you are working on advanced elements
Consider refining the following movements during this time:
Maintaining turn out from hips
Diamond shaped plié
Single leg balance
Controlled lowering from relevé
Releve pasé
Developpe side
Promenade
Adagio ← spend lots of time working on adagio right now.
Should be better when you return to the studio
Controlled single pirouette
How to maintain pointe work during this time
Work on creating control
Rolling through the feet
Relevé
Work on parallel strengthening
Create controlled strength at the barre
Continue foot and ankle strengthening exercises
Theraband
Toe and foot exercises
Wear pointe shoes around the house to maintain your feet conditioned to wearing them
Conditioning and Stamina
ACSM 3-5 days a week for 20-60 minutes (American College of Sports Medicine)- baseline to maintain
If you are used to class 5 days a week, can do a period of less but want to build back up to 5 before returning
If you are used to 3 days a week 3 hrs try to maintain that level
Ballet Specific Conditioning
you can focus on a more continuous barre, or longer combinations
Add small cardio/strength session instead of a stretch between barre and center
Cross Conditioning
Many benefits to adding cross conditioning into your training to help with injury prevention
Work on training the muscles that are not constantly being used in dance
Try to create balance within the body
Address weaknesses
Complete a strong rehab program for any ongoing injuries
Cross conditioning is built into many traditional sports models, and should be applied to dance as well
Can consider adding
Weight training using:
Gallon jug
Books in a backpack or bag
Any canned goods or wine bottle
HIIT training
Cardio circuit
Resistance bands
Bike or run program
Take this time to do exercises in parallel
Helps to create overall balance and strength in your lower extremity
Make sure to stretch after your workouts to maintain the length needed in your muscle for ballet
Consider this the rehearsal period or off season
Your body is not under increased fatigue right now
Continue to do ballet
Use this time to explore other areas
Can add small bouts of exercise in throughout the day
Dance is not an endurance sport where you go non-stop for 2+ hours
Short bouts of high intensity for 2-3 minutes
Think about a HIIT workout or an hour of circuit work to simulate a normal piece of choreography
Veyette Virtual Ballet School
Lauren Fadley Veyette
Lauren began dancing professionally with New York City Ballet at the age of 16. While with the company she performed in numerous works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Christopher Wheeldon and Martins. After two years with NYCB, she decided to further her academic and dance education by attending Indiana University. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an outside field in Kinesiology. In the fall of 2007 Lauren joined Pennsylvania working her way up the ranks and promoting to Principal dancer in 2012. In 2016 Lauren moved to sunny Miami Florida where she jointed The Miami City Ballet and currently dances as a Principal soloist.
Francis Veyette (Fran)
Francis Veyette has significant experience and an established 25-year history in the professional ballet community. He is well known as a former Pennsylvania Ballet (PAB) Principal dancer, the PAB 2nd Company Director and as an assistant and stager to the renowned choreographer Matthew Neenan. He is currently a revered faculty member at the Miami City Ballet School, Ballet Elite and is a nationally requested guest teacher.
About Veyette Virtual Ballet School
Created in 2018, Veyette Virtual Ballet School (VVBS) is a one of a kind online classroom. VVBS came into being out of a desire to share a love of ballet instruction with children who otherwise wouldn’t have access to exceptional training. We bring world class ballet training to every aspiring student, regardless of location.
Contact Veyette Virtual Ballet School