Nov. 15, 2012 03:44PM EST
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In 2001, young Chanel, a determined, ambitious, fiery, headstrong teenager, was about to begin her sophomore year at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, also known as the highly acclaimed "Fame" school. I was a great student, a promising young dancer and well-liked by my teachers and my peers. On paper, everything seemed in order. In reality, this picture-perfect image was fractured. There was a crack that I've attempted to hide, cover up and bury for nearly 20 years.
<p>Now, I'm sharing the truth in order to call our community to action. As many know, cases of sexual misconduct involving students plague dance institutions year after year. Reports of those in positions of leadership abusing their power have become commonplace. Sometimes, the stories go back decades.</p>
<p>For 32 of my nearly 35 years, I have had the honor of dedicating my life to dance. And now, in my role as teacher, mentor and co-founder of MOVE|NYC|, I feel the weight of keeping my students out of harm's way. The thought that one of them could possibly fall victim to the manipulation that so dramatically impacted my life frightens and infuriates me.</p><p>With the rise of the #MeToo movement, we have heard of countless cases of sexual misconduct survivors being ignored, dismissed, victim-shamed or, worst of all, punished for speaking up. How can it be that we too—a community that says we believe in the healing power of sharing our stories—are complicit in silencing those abused? How can it be that we—a community that promotes the enrichment and empowerment of young people—turn a blind eye when they come forward in need of safety and protection? How can it be that, after decades of reports, sexual misconduct continues to be an open secret in dance?</p><p>While attending LaGuardia, I also studied at a private dance studio, where I received excellent training in multiple genres. There, I also experienced the magic of mentorship. Our teachers were not just our teachers; they became our village. Our family. They challenged us artistically and made it a point to develop personal relationships with us.</p>
<p>Not only did the students trust these teachers, so did our parents. It was commonplace for teachers to drive us home after rehearsal. They mentored us outside of the studio in casual settings, inviting us into their homes and having one-on-one sessions over dinner. Most times these experiences were productive and nurturing. However, one of my teachers took advantage of these opportunities to sexually abuse me.</p><p>It first began on what I assumed was a usual Friday night post-rehearsal drop-off. We were in his car, chatting about dance and my continued path as a dancer, and as I was about to get out he leaned over and kissed me.</p><p>Looking back, I now recognize that for all my confidence as a 15-year-old, I was so very naïve. I was a child with a child's understanding of the world, unaware of the extreme power dynamics that underscore the culture of dance education. Like many who find themselves in this situation, I believed I had no power. A belief that was reinforced by my abuser. I thought that if I said anything, I would be blacklisted in the dance community that I desperately wanted to be a part of.</p>
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<p>Over two years I fell victim to continued sexual abuse at the hands of this teacher. Even though it never felt right, I kept thinking, If I said no would my teacher not like me anymore? Would all of my opportunities for performances be taken away from me? Will anybody believe me if I speak out?</p><p>It became a shameful secret. I was terrified to tell anyone. In a strange and complex twist of emotions, I had been manipulated to believe this man loved me. He was my teacher, my mentor, an accomplished artist. A trusted member of our village. I feared if I said anything, he would go to prison. At the age of 15, that terrified and paralyzed me!</p><p>Therapy in my mid-20s helped me see and understand some key truths that were critical to my healing.</p>
<p>First, that at the time of this abuse, I was a minor<em>—a child—</em>who was taken advantage of.</p><p>Second, my trusted teacher, recognizing my vulnerability and inexperience, used his power of both position and maturity to manipulate me.</p><p>Lastly, what happened to me was <em>not</em> my fault. This insight helped me to let go of the shame I've carried for nearly two decades.</p>
<p>It wasn't until 2018, at the age of 32, that I had the courage to finally speak up. I was having a catch-up lunch with another of my former teachers who had been a part of my dance training "village." He was now in business with my abuser, having founded a new dance school. Struck by the realization that this man, my abuser, was now in an even more powerful position—and still holding sway over impressionable young dancers—I began to share my story. I needed my former teacher to know the character of his business partner and what he might be capable of.</p><p>He was stunned. After much discussion, we agreed this had to be addressed. Although I was fearful about the potential harm to my reputation, I decided it was time for my experience to come to light so that, hopefully, other students would not share my fate.</p><p>In the fall of 2019, I relayed my story privately to the board of directors of his new dance school. My intention was to offer my testimony of what happened so that they would take preventive measures. Yet to my surprise and disappointment, at the time of this writing, my abuser remains in his position.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately, my story is not unusual. A Google search of "sexual misconduct in dance" shows that I was not the first in the dance community to fall victim to sexual misconduct and was indeed not the last. Now in a position where young people look to me for guidance, I believe it is my duty to create a safe environment for them to thrive.</p><p>Our students deserve to train, grow and evolve without harm. They should never have to be afraid of being shunned for not succumbing to immoral actions. And when their rights have been violated, there should be a system of protection where leaders eliminate the threat and provide healing. It shouldn't take another class-action lawsuit for dance education to take this seriously.</p><p>Recalibrating the culture of dance education would be a good place to start. Teachers and leaders often position themselves as gatekeepers to be revered and even feared. Young dancers are groomed to believe that they have no power to question, disagree or defend themselves. It is daunting to find the confidence to speak up, believing you could possibly be jeopardizing your "spot," so you remain silent and comply just to stay in the good graces of your leaders. This needs to change.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUxNTg1NC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDQyNjc0MX0.f424QPGRMBa6FN6-Tx4ag7s3_2QHubRGiSMG-2DNng8/img.png?width=980" id="af871" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c2ffb50548b3772f75c1bf54b800686e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Chanel DaSilva sits at a white table with a teenage girl, pointing at a notebook the girl is writing in. There are other tables and chairs and a TV in the background." data-width="2656" data-height="1768" />
Chanel DaSilva working with a MOVE|NYC| student.
Rachel Papo
<p>Second, we need to improve systems for prevention and correction. Consequences of sexual misconduct need to be clear and consistently enforced. Over the last five years, through public institutions where I've taught, I've participated in a multitude of workshops and mandatory trainings in which matters such as sexual harassment and sexual misconduct are thoroughly examined, and explicit repercussions are shared. Public institutions, albeit not perfect, have higher standards of accountability. Private institutions need to adopt and reinforce similar standards.</p><p>As co-founder of MOVE|NYC|, an organization dedicated to the empowerment and enrichment of young dancers, I know that I am in a position to create change. We are implementing programs to protect and empower students and parents and to educate them about warning signs and recourse, should that ever be necessary. We believe it's critical to be vigilant about preventive measures, implementing policies that govern behavior and set expectations for teachers, administrators and partners, and that make consequences clear.</p><p>It is time that we learn from other communities with similar blemished histories—gymnastics, sports, religious institutions—to begin the uncomfortable and difficult work of improving our culture. The time is now for us to speak up, put protections in place, and educate students, parents, teachers and leaders to create accountability and catalyze change.</p><p>Sharing this story is my personal pledge to continue this conversation. I come forward from a place of truth and love. I love dance. And it is this love, and a feeling of responsibility, that compels me to ask that we join together in conversation and action. For the sake of our future dancers and future leaders, we must do better. For the sake of our community and our humanity, we must do better. Will you join me? </p>
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<p><br></p><p><em>To go along with Chanel DaSilva's story, </em>Dance Magazine <em>also spoke with a range of experts to get their insight on what could be done to better protect young dancers. Read it <a href="https://www.dancemagazine.com/sexual-abuse-dance-education-2650145602.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </em></p>
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Though the #MeToo movement has spurred many dancers to come forward with their stories of sexual harassment and abuse, the dance world has yet to have a full reckoning on the subject. Few institutions have made true cultural changes, and many alleged predators continue to work in the industry.
As Chanel DaSilva's story shows, young dancers are particularly vulnerable to abuse because of the power differential between teacher and student. We spoke with eight experts in dance, education and psychology about steps that dance schools could take to protect their students from sexual abuse.
Make Basic Safety Measures Standard
<p><strong>Peter Flew, director of the </strong><strong>School of Education at University of Roehampton in London, trustee of the Royal Academy of Dance, and chair of Safer Dance</strong></p><p>"When I joined the RAD Board of Trustees, I couldn't believe how little regulation there was around dance schools. When a school is hiring a teacher, they need to do a background check. Does that person have a conviction for sexual abuse or child abuse, for example? Are there gaps in their CV that they don't want to explain?</p><p>"Another important issue is data protection. Does the dance teacher have the cell phone number of the student? This is a common and really bad practice. Teachers should be talking to parents, not the children. And this is an issue with social media, as well.</p><p>"We also need to empower children, so they know that they can say no when they're uncomfortable. And we need to empower parents. If you're looking at a school and you don't see their safeguarding procedures written on their website or in their brochure, you should question them as to what they're going to do to keep your child safe."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzQ5NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNDYzMDA1Nn0.b4jpgnjWUD5GldXFwU8oAm38kdtuN2B1SjU0jPQ1un0/img.jpg?width=980" id="60a8e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="30319bba60beaa7e995720bf6e6ed847" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Peter Flew is a middle aged white man wearing a jacket and blue patterned tie. He has glasses and blonde hair, and smiles softly at the camera" data-width="4928" data-height="3280" />
David Tett, Courtesy Flew
Create a Trauma-Informed Classroom
<p><strong>Dr. Paula Thomson, clinical psychologist and professor at California State University, Northridge</strong></p><p>"Administrative staff and teachers need to learn the signs that there may be some kind of emotional, physical or sexual abuse going on, and learn how to approach a child to check in. In dance schools, kids are socialized to keep their mouths shut. And that's a perfect predatory environment, because abusers will groom a child and make them feel very special. Children need a line of safety. Ideally they should have more than one person they can go to if something is wrong."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzQ5Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjYwMDI4MH0.6iOeq4_5uLHUi057JPfQhPBe3Ikn1y3V3USlSPfCICw/img.jpg?width=980" id="f4b60" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="75415ddf82ce11d8b5e6ec35cde083d4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Dr. Paula Thomas is a middle-aged white woman wearing a long-sleeved grey shirt and a black vest. Her dark, curly hair is in an updo, and falls around her face. She has a bright smile" data-width="3664" data-height="5603" />
Shawn Flint Blair, Courtesy Thomson
Self-Regulate Through Education
<p><strong>Leslie Scott Zanovitch, founder of Youth Protection Advocates in Dance (YPAD)</strong></p><p><span></span>"A lot of people use this word 'complicit.' And I believe that some people are complicit. But I also believe there are people who are just ill-equipped. They've never been trained about what the red flags are, so they never saw the red flags. We have to train people to be advocates for children. And then we have to normalize these conversations, because, otherwise, what will happen is what happened to me when I spoke up about the commodification and exploitation of children in Hollywood. I was blackballed. I was shamed. I was told by my colleagues that I was messing with their money."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzQ5OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2Mzk1NjgwNn0.R8GtINSsT3yx35QzuXAkDu6DHNwdvd4OYKMl5MBpYq0/img.jpg?width=980" id="2ff8b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="53ee9caa64db50dde5a99fc4c3c9dc52" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Leslie Scott Zanovitch is a young white woman, wearing a graphic shirt, a leather jacket and large hoop earrings. She has long wavy brown hair that spills down her shoulders, and she has a big, open smile" data-width="4016" data-height="6016" />
Michael King, Courtesy Zanovitch
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Let Kids Be Kids
<p><strong><span style="background-color: initial;">Dr. Christina Donaldson, clinical psychologist and YPAD </span><span style="background-color: initial;">advisor</span></strong></p><p>"Dancers are constantly being told how to use their body as a tool. This can lead them to feel separated from their bodies, and that can actually lead to grooming and abuse. The same is true of dancing in a way that is really sexual, or to music with sexual lyrics. That is a form of inadvertent grooming. You're desensitizing them to sexually explicit material they don't necessarily understand. We need to let kids be kids."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzUwMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MzU0NTAzM30.9EUO_WRxVk4FxqpQimoc12_-DHM924vgV9jPWX2V1ws/img.jpg?width=980" id="040c8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c9d08dd8912e56a05aaf649f145db1fb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Dr. Christina Donaldson, a middle aged white woman with short wavy blonde hair, wears a black long sleeved shirt and dangling earrings. She's turned to the side, head facing the camera and smiling" data-width="1862" data-height="2328" />
Fritz Olenberger, Courtesy Donaldson
Encourage Accountability
<p><strong>Cat Cogliandro, teacher and co-founder of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedancesafe/?hl=en" target="_blank">@thedancesafe</a></strong></p><p>"We can all stand up together as a field and say that abusive behavior is not appropriate, and that if you hurt someone, you need to be held accountable. If we can empower people to come forward, it's going to be a chain reaction. On The Dance Safe Instagram, we have a link you can click on and report abuse. And if you disclose to us, the first thing I'm going to do is respond and make sure you're safe, and ask how I can further support you. We connect people with mental health professionals, doctors, social workers and people who can help them navigate the legal system if that's what they want. And if people want to go public and tell their story, we're supportive of that, too."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzUxMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNDUwNDkwOH0.IVGLmZ0OPaXOxJPZCb3QIkJCaONtuKDKYuduLQsPJ2Y/img.jpg?width=980" id="c960d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="50a6b6655f5551eba873e0af0fabf8a6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Cat Cogliandro, who has short, dark hair, kneels on the ground, and pulls on the zipper of her jacket." data-width="1125" data-height="1110" />
Courtesy Cogliandro
Use Touch Appropriately
<p><strong>Sydney Skybetter, choreographer and lecturer at Brown University<br></strong></p><p>"I focus a great deal of classroom time on establishing a practice of consent. This means letting students know at the beginning of class that touch can be used as an instructional device, and should they prefer not to be touched, to let the instructor know at any time. Then, an instructor should ask and receive consent before any touch happens. Students are empowered to opt in or out of physical contact on their own terms."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzUxMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTE5NTA0M30.954o9SQ-0uTbk5zSDiRqMt3txdZoqA4Jrd_TRn90YQQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="2ca3a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0b06ed0980ee18ba685f2fdb61f6b2f6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Sydney Skybetter, a young white man, wears a white button down shirt and glasses. He looks rather seriously at the camera" data-width="7360" data-height="4912" />
Liza Voll, Courtesy Skybetter
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Take Action
<p><strong>Sarah Arnold, ballet teacher in the San Francisco Bay area<br></strong></p><p>"A few years ago, two young women came forward to say that a male teacher at the school I was working at had sexually assaulted them. The directors did nothing until a group of parents came together to demand they take action. Finally, they asked the teacher to resign, but he continues to teach elsewhere. I and several other teachers left the school over it.</p><p>"He should have been immediately fired, and the reason should have been public knowledge. I also think the directors should have sent a letter out to all the parents to let them know what happened, so they could talk to their children in case there was any abuse their kids weren't telling them about. We should make it as easy as possible for children to come forward."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzUzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Nzk3MDI5Nn0.HxLKPQiunKMKPGNds9noJFD7TL7IfNKWmQv3oMPVr6U/img.jpg?width=980" id="a8603" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="63459bdafaad9b000f06a0c4b9c160c0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Sarah Arnold, a white woman with grey hair in a bun, leans against a tree, and smiles softly at the camera. SHe wears a knit black sweater, and a silver necklace and earrings" data-width="900" data-height="1355" />
Peter Young, Courtesy Arnold
Build Boundaries
<p><strong><span style="background-color: initial;">Emily Bufferd, jazz teacher at Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and the Joffrey Ballet School</span><br></strong></p><p>"Teachers should never be inviting assistants or students to their homes or hotel rooms alone. It's important to protect your students and yourself by maintaining boundaries, no matter how good your intentions. And students should know that if a teacher says they need to be alone with you, you can question that. When I teach privates, I always have an open-door policy. Parents are always welcome.</p><p>"Ever since I did my YPAD certification, I feel much more prepared to handle it if a student comes to me with a problem. I think dance studios should consider having someone on staff, or several people, who are trained advocates that dancers know they can go to for help."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzUxNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzAzOTkzOX0.WUVFuGKmC6P8hPqCyyVJleSa7EOHNRhiEvOSBrMTD4s/img.jpg?width=980" id="13c5a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3548cd0272967ed5b11649fb0c99f010" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Emily Buffered, a young white woman, wears a lacey white sweater, and silver earrings and a necklace. Her light brown hair is back in a ponytail, and she smiles softly at the camera" data-width="3840" data-height="5760" />
Jaqlin Medlock, Courtesy Bufferd
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Nan Melville, courtesy Genn
Not so long ago, it seemed that ballet dancers were always encouraged to pull up away from the floor. Ideas evolved, and more recently it has become common to hear teachers saying "Push down to go up," and variations on that concept.
Charla Genn, a New York City–based coach and dance rehabilitation specialist who teaches company class for Dance Theatre of Harlem, American Ballet Theatre and Ballet Hispánico, says that this causes its own problems.
"Often when we tell dancers to go down, they physically push down, or think they have to plié more," she says. These are misconceptions that keep dancers from, among other things, jumping to their full potential.
To help dancers learn to efficiently use what she calls "Mother Marley," Genn has developed these clever techniques and teaching tools.
Stand Connected
<p>Before a dancer begins to move, Genn stresses the importance of standing correctly, without unnecessary gripping. "If you clench your hips, knees, ankles or toes, your tendons and ligaments won't function, and you can't move," she says.</p><p>She encourages dancers to feel with their fingers that the hip flexor stays soft, and uses the image of a duck's feet, wide and spread out on the floor, to help visualize release in the ankles and toes. Dancers should also avoid shoes that confine their feet too tightly and restrict movement, however good they may look—"the clench," as she calls it, can be imposed from outside, as well.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ1OTE1Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDkzOTgwNH0.pU8EpKnxB-8MMdQS7j2mUR19NePVFKBRMP9upkxlsBM/img.jpg?width=980" id="30fea" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b3edb615b81a09bc9403c4383846d46f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Genn stands at the barre, wearing black pants, a black shirt and a pink sweater, and tendues front, arm raised in fifth position. Dancers at barres surrounding her do the same" data-width="4366" data-height="4016" />
Nan Melville, courtesy Genn
The Truth About Tendus
<p>"Down to go out" is another teacher phrase frequently applied to tendus and dégagés. But if you've ever watched a dancer struggle to move a foot that is digging down into the floor—it lurches out by inches, as the working knee bends and the heel pops up—you know that this doesn't always quite work.</p><p>Genn's idea, instead, might be phrased as "Turn out to go out." She teaches that the action of tendu begins at the tops of the legs, instead of with the feet. "Lift your abdomen up, and then rotate both thighs, deep in the hip joints, before initiating tendu." Genn often uses the word "flower" for the combined blooming action, up and open, of the lower abdomen and inner thighs. This shorthand is crucial to movement quality: Cueing multiple actions with one simple construct keeps dancers from getting bogged down in the details.</p><p>As for the articulation of the foot itself, Genn clarifies: "It's not pushing down. With the lift and the shift of the weight onto the supporting leg, there should be no pressure on the tendu leg. It's just the feeling of the heel gliding along the floor until it has to come off." Keeping the heel down helps prevent dancers from crunching their toes too soon instead of pointing them long at the very end of the tendu. Consciously engaging the adductor to bring the leg back in helps the toes relax early in the reversal of that process.</p><p>Genn tells younger students to imagine they are cleaning the floor with their feet. "What dancers don't understand is that using the feet this way, going through all the intrinsic muscles to point and come back—<em>that</em> is what gives you better feet."</p><div class="htl-ad"
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<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ1OTE3Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3MTcyNjkxOX0.kQKiBYfb8eXaRH0yCWbJIuPIaNze6Se-_Bx2PnoVPfk/img.jpg?width=980" id="6a1d6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="688a00d16a165b98c9e1e2115ca731a8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Genn sits on the barre at the front of the studio, smiling as five young women are in sous sous en pointe, with arms in fifth position" data-width="3600" data-height="2508" />
Nan Melville, courtesy Genn
The Schloop
<p>Genn has been known to create words for actions that have no official name in the ballet lexicon. Foremost among these is the<em> </em>"schloop": simultaneously a slide, a scoop and a peeling action of the foot. "From fifth position, when you're going to do a passé or a développé, your toe goes across the floor to where your heel was, and then up to the side of the knee," she says. "This action, this use of the floor, helps prevent the hip from lifting."</p><p>It also helps the dancer transfer their weight, from two legs to one and even in a relevé or pirouette, with less conscious effort. If a dancer is struggling with the schloop, Genn will place a ping-pong ball by their front heel as they stand in fifth position. When that foot schloops correctly, the toes will knock the ball out of the way as they point.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ1OTE2Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyODYzNDU3OH0.5UKejFdAjNMWz7F1iqmkUe67FOd48fUfPh0upXUGGt0/img.jpg?width=980" id="ff061" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="13f918ee9c5ffa1ce8ee86a01584cb2d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Genn sits on the barre at the front of the studio smiling as dancers jump in second position, arms in fifth" data-width="3371" data-height="3600" />
Nan Melville, courtesy Genn
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Getting Air
<p>A version of the schloop is very useful in certain jumps. "Jumping in first," Genn specifies, "you don't schloop. But in an assemblé or a jeté, the toe of the jumping foot goes to where your heel was, schloop!"</p><p><a target="_blank"></a>She gives a series of exercises designed to help dancers practice the schloop while connecting to the backs of their legs. Facing away from the barre, she begins with temps levés and petits jetés (like little emboîtés into coupé back, brushing or schlooping the bottom foot under into coupé while jumping onto the other foot) before proceeding to assemblés and jetés.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a>"Especially in this cell phone era, people want to lean forward," she points out, "and then everything is in the quad. If you think about the back of your leg, you're using your whole leg."</p><p>In runs, traveling jumps such as grands jetés, and piqué arabesques alike, dancers should feel the floor and the back foot working together to propel them up and forward. Paradoxically, this means that their weight must be firmly on that back foot before they take off from it. Genn tells them to imagine going over a puddle. This helps dancers keep their weight on the pushing-off foot, rather than allowing momentum to pull them forward too soon. "That's the natural reaction," she points out. "Nobody leans forward into the puddle!"</p>Individual Imagery
<p>Genn's personal approach extends to helping dancers create their own made-up words and portmanteaus for remembering a few corrections or actions at once. "It can help a dancer stay grounded," she says, "to find their own image of what the floor means to them, whether that's home base, a friend or a partner."</p>
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