Drama in the Studio
The dance class was beginning. I could hear the music begin, but not all the students were on the floor. The demanding Germanic Matriarch of the Ballet was ready to begin the Advanced class with everyone jumping into line. She looked over the girls, and there were also a couple of young men. She seemed to catch something not in order. "Start the warm-up!" she commandeered the eldest assistant, Anita. There were at least four teaching assistants in the class, all of which had dancing and teaching assignments. They were head of their own branches throughout the city. The theory that Anneliese had devised, was that the students and parents did not want to spent precious time driving to lessons far from their communtities through streets at rush hour, so one teacher would drive to the community, teach classes one day a week, and bring Ballet to them. Eight studios were prosperous in that way.
The most advanced of the students also came to study with the master teacher, Anneliese, when and wherever she taught. Those students were picked by the assistants and personally called by Anneliese to attend her classes. These students came from all over the city and felt so honored to be selected they cared not what traffic jams they had to endure to reach her class.
Anneliese taught class with a stick in her hand, and a strict eye to every muscle in your body. No extra article of clothing hid your back or legs where you were a bit modest or wanted to improve your glamorous look. "Take off all leg warmers now!" she would shout, or, "Please remove extra shirts and pants. We are not in gymnastics classes! We are dancers!!!"
One of the most important part of her teaching method was that she was personal and close to each and every student, not distant and herself called when you did not attend class regularly. She even made allowances when students could not pay on time, or when parents were out of work, if they promised to pay later, or make some other arrangements since she would not think of allowing a talented student NOT to attend because of financial hardship!
She was also a very clear thinker, in that things were either black or white. Either the students did what she said, or they did not. If you followed her rules, you were doing it "right". Otherwise, you were, "Wrong!" One exercise she often did, was to do a step or combination across the floor, and have the students copy, and all she would say, is "right " or "wrong" with no explanation. The students would have to decipher this within the classtime. She would only say things like, "Use your eyes!" "Listen!" or "Count!" If the student was "Right" they could stand by her, and stop repeating the steps across the floor.
To her the music and the spirit of the dance was one with the dance. You could not become a dancer without rhythm and understanding of phrasing of music. In the same way a dancer without spirit and fire would not succeed, no matter how perfect their body was. To us dancers, however, the story was different. We looked upon each other as dolls in a factory with body parts that could be perfected if we worked hard enough or had been created just so. When some of the students entered with a perfect turn out, long limbs, or a high arch, we would turn green with envy, thinking they had it all, and we might as well just give up.
Such was the dancer, Christine. She was not too tall, but had long limbs, white blond hair, regular features, high arches, high extensions, great jumps, straight legs, and wonderful stage presentation. She also was small enough she got the guy. That means, when Anneliese was training partnering with the young men, she picked her, instead of the older, heavier women, who strained young men's bodies far too much. When parts were picked, guess who got the main parts? You guessed it, Christine. We all thought her life was determined in advance, and she would be that one in a million that becomes a ballerina for sure.
Here's where things got complicated. Christina had her eye on Marc. Marc and Kurt were some of the young men training in Ballet at the time. She also flirted with Kurt. This caused a bit of a problem, as the other young ladies felt she could get friendly with one young man, why should she get both?
She was partnering with the young men, and everyone was whispering about her, Anneliese was watching what was going on, and not at all happy about the situation. She made rules that everyone had to follow. They started with certain logical ones, including not staying in the studio alone with anyone, and not going outside the studio without parental permision. Anneliese did not want problems arising from her ballet classes that later would cause her parents to question her supervision.
When she started class, guess who was missing, but Christina. We all noticed it immediately. Anneliese was on the search for her. She went to the dressing room, and then to the bathroom. She knocked on the door, and Christine answered. "I'll be right out." Anneliese was angry. She waited right outside the door. We heard the commotion, and continued the class. She came out, with Christine, and questioned her in front of the entire 20 student class. "What were you doing!" "I had to use the restroom!" "You have a scholarship to attend class, and you are late to class? I ask again, What were you doing in the restroom?" Christina, beginning to cry, answers, "I was getting ready for class." Anneliese responds, "NO, I saw smoke under the door! You were smoking! You know it is one of our rules, Dancers do not smoke! If you smoke, you will never be able to dance. And worse, you lied to me. Call your mother to pick you up. You are finished. You are through. Good Bye."
And that was it. I talked to Anneliese later, and asked her if she really meant it. She would kick her out for good? Never to take her back? and she said, never. I was amazed. My own mother, to be that certain about anything, and not look back. I just wondered what would happen to me if I ever smoked and lied about it.
The most advanced of the students also came to study with the master teacher, Anneliese, when and wherever she taught. Those students were picked by the assistants and personally called by Anneliese to attend her classes. These students came from all over the city and felt so honored to be selected they cared not what traffic jams they had to endure to reach her class.
Anneliese taught class with a stick in her hand, and a strict eye to every muscle in your body. No extra article of clothing hid your back or legs where you were a bit modest or wanted to improve your glamorous look. "Take off all leg warmers now!" she would shout, or, "Please remove extra shirts and pants. We are not in gymnastics classes! We are dancers!!!"
One of the most important part of her teaching method was that she was personal and close to each and every student, not distant and herself called when you did not attend class regularly. She even made allowances when students could not pay on time, or when parents were out of work, if they promised to pay later, or make some other arrangements since she would not think of allowing a talented student NOT to attend because of financial hardship!
She was also a very clear thinker, in that things were either black or white. Either the students did what she said, or they did not. If you followed her rules, you were doing it "right". Otherwise, you were, "Wrong!" One exercise she often did, was to do a step or combination across the floor, and have the students copy, and all she would say, is "right " or "wrong" with no explanation. The students would have to decipher this within the classtime. She would only say things like, "Use your eyes!" "Listen!" or "Count!" If the student was "Right" they could stand by her, and stop repeating the steps across the floor.
To her the music and the spirit of the dance was one with the dance. You could not become a dancer without rhythm and understanding of phrasing of music. In the same way a dancer without spirit and fire would not succeed, no matter how perfect their body was. To us dancers, however, the story was different. We looked upon each other as dolls in a factory with body parts that could be perfected if we worked hard enough or had been created just so. When some of the students entered with a perfect turn out, long limbs, or a high arch, we would turn green with envy, thinking they had it all, and we might as well just give up.
Such was the dancer, Christine. She was not too tall, but had long limbs, white blond hair, regular features, high arches, high extensions, great jumps, straight legs, and wonderful stage presentation. She also was small enough she got the guy. That means, when Anneliese was training partnering with the young men, she picked her, instead of the older, heavier women, who strained young men's bodies far too much. When parts were picked, guess who got the main parts? You guessed it, Christine. We all thought her life was determined in advance, and she would be that one in a million that becomes a ballerina for sure.
Here's where things got complicated. Christina had her eye on Marc. Marc and Kurt were some of the young men training in Ballet at the time. She also flirted with Kurt. This caused a bit of a problem, as the other young ladies felt she could get friendly with one young man, why should she get both?
She was partnering with the young men, and everyone was whispering about her, Anneliese was watching what was going on, and not at all happy about the situation. She made rules that everyone had to follow. They started with certain logical ones, including not staying in the studio alone with anyone, and not going outside the studio without parental permision. Anneliese did not want problems arising from her ballet classes that later would cause her parents to question her supervision.
When she started class, guess who was missing, but Christina. We all noticed it immediately. Anneliese was on the search for her. She went to the dressing room, and then to the bathroom. She knocked on the door, and Christine answered. "I'll be right out." Anneliese was angry. She waited right outside the door. We heard the commotion, and continued the class. She came out, with Christine, and questioned her in front of the entire 20 student class. "What were you doing!" "I had to use the restroom!" "You have a scholarship to attend class, and you are late to class? I ask again, What were you doing in the restroom?" Christina, beginning to cry, answers, "I was getting ready for class." Anneliese responds, "NO, I saw smoke under the door! You were smoking! You know it is one of our rules, Dancers do not smoke! If you smoke, you will never be able to dance. And worse, you lied to me. Call your mother to pick you up. You are finished. You are through. Good Bye."
And that was it. I talked to Anneliese later, and asked her if she really meant it. She would kick her out for good? Never to take her back? and she said, never. I was amazed. My own mother, to be that certain about anything, and not look back. I just wondered what would happen to me if I ever smoked and lied about it.
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