Dance Obispo

I was in town for business and wanted to keep up my ballet technique, since it’s Nutcracker season and just missing ONE class gets me off my game, etc. So I tried out this studio & was blown away by the main teacher, Theresa Slobodnik. She teaches Cecchetti method, which I’ve never done, and the precision, clarity, dedication, and energy she devotes to teaching was amazing. I can’t say I’m any better and dancing Cecchetti style, but I certainly had great classes with her.
Then the shocker: the most amazing pointe class ever. I got into pointe as an adult and I feel like studios tend to take it easy on adult dancers going up on pointe. There’s a lot that we miss and less is demanded of us. In the beginning pointe class, «Miss Terry» filled in a lot of gaps that I’ve missed over the years of being on pointe later in life. And even though the dreaded spring releves were emphasized, the class gave me a more solid foundation for pointe work than I’ve had fumbling along as a latecomer.
I can’t say enough about her. It’s not that I LOVE her combos, but I admire, respect, & deeply appreciate that she holds dancers to clear standards, classical standards. There’s no way you can get better if you approach ballet as just a fun hobby. The only way to get better is if the teacher is willing to play «bad cop» and push you to try harder than is comfortable to try. Miss Terry does that.
«Honey, if you don’t move with us [mark while she’s marking] you’re not going to get it later.»
«When I’m demonstrating, I’m happy. Don’t make me unhappy by not paying attention. I don’t want to have to show you again just because you weren’t watching.» (She demonstrates twice. I don’t always get the combos precisely, but I try, boy I try.)
«Class, this is Ballet 3b, not Ballet 2. Now you need to really DO IT with my counts.»
You know, it’s not popular stance to take: to hold dancers to the standards that will make them into classical dancers, but here’s someone that does it. I only wish I could take class with her regularly. I’ll definitely be back.