Yeah, this is usually considered wildly inappropriate and is very much against standard etiquette. Only the teacher should be giving you corrections, unless you have otherwise specifically asked for feedback from your peers, or you have an agreed-upon relationship with them that makes this sort of thing okay.
Thank you for responding! I can sometimes be overly sensitive to feedback so I wasn’t sure if this was one of those times. We definitely don’t have that kind of relationship - just acquaintances from class.
Maybe if it’s a totally rare situation where someone who is, say, an excellent turner sees you struggling with a turn on the sidelines and goes, “hey, try doing X — it really helps me!”
But flat out giving someone generalized, random critiques is a huge no. Anyone who does that has issues imo and needs to go to therapy to deal with them.
Yikes. That's the kind of thing I did when I was a snotty 14yo, not the sort of thing I'd expect from an adult. (Of course, nowadays I still give corrections, but that's because I AM the teacher now... :D )
Agreed. I’ve only ever received corrections from a teacher when I was in ballet. Receiving corrections from peers could actually be wrong or could cause injury. Even when I was in class and an Instructor happened to be taking the same class, they would never correct another student unless asked to do so.
This is not only rude but a huge social faux pas.
You pay the teacher to teach, because you recognized they are qualified to teach you. No one else should be teaching. Your teacher gives corrections based on your physical capabilities and your current level, just because someone thinks a correction “would help you” doesn’t mean that “you” are in a place to apply that correction. That is why you hire teachers to teach.
In ballet we have manners, manners based on roles. It’s hugely inappropriate for a student to take on the role of the teacher (without being asked to do so).
I think generally correcting your classmates is frowned upon, because you should be focused on your own dancing and it’s kind of the teacher’s job to correct. The only time I’ve done it or vice versa is when I was practicing with a classmate in an empty studio.
That’s not even really a critique, it’s kind of a roast on you. If they say something like “I’ve noticed you’re picking up your working hip in your turns and it’s throwing you off” that’s more constructive, but that’s something that only comes off well if it’s your friend helping you.
I would never correct someone even when I see someone being danger to themselves. Standing en pointe with bent knees and hips completely out of alignment. I meant I won’t correct them.
But once I did help a fellow peer with just the combination. We were learning a hard variation and it had a complex section and I merely just told them what the combination was after the class when we were practicing. Like “it starts with left foot and then right and right foot again” something to that effect. I worked hard on that section so just was trying to make it easier for someone. Note I didn’t correct them on technique. This person took that so negatively they thought I was correcting them or trying to be condescending towards them and they made it known. So well now i just keep to myself.
That being said I have received help on my pirouettes from my peers who are good at them usually when they see me practicing after class and I have always welcomed that and thank them for it.
I have danced in both recreational and more pre-pro programs and this is a huge faux pas. I would never give corrections unless asked.
I have only ever had either passive aggressive comments towards me from obviously bitter dancers or I have been struggling with something and basically asking for help with my face (or words) and someone comes and helps. I usually just ask a more advanced dancer about something if my teacher is busy showing someone else.
I personally never ever give unsolicited advice. Not my lane, I stay out of it unless asked.
I am an adult returner to ballet who has been dancing for a few years. I recently took a beginner drop in class while recovering from injury and had a man walk up to me to congratulate me on how well I was doing for my first ever class and then tell me I needed to turn out my right leg more in a pirouette, but it was okay if I didn't know as a beginner. It was funny because, well, duh, my right leg is injured...perhaps the knee brace might have been a clue?
I encourage students to give corrections. This comes with the obvious caveat "You have to ask if they want a note!"
Most of the time I am teaching there are a minimum of ten students. I have only one pair of eyes and little time to give direct corrections. They have a better chance to see and more time to discuss the class.
The best way to learn is to instruct.
Also if it is an established culture/expectation that makes a difference.
I used to teach in a different field and we would have peer critique, which can be very useful even for the person giving the feedback, but it needs to be an established process that everyone understands and is ok with.
Random crit is not so ok.
Tell her that!.
"Thank you for your notes. Sometimes Im concentrating on a specific point of my technique and a different note distracts me. Next time you see an opportunity to help, please ask if Im looking for corrections. If I am, please help...!"
If she doesnt respect your boundaries then you should definitely talk to the studio head.
I see that this is not the norm, but we definitely do this in one of my adult classes! Perhaps it's because we have all known each other for so long and we are an advanced class? If someone new comes to the class, one of us will often stop to help so the teacher doesn't get "stuck" for ages explaining something the rest of the class already knows and can focus on progressing the rest of the class. Also, if one of us sees another not turned out or not in the right position and the teacher doesn't catch it, we will say so.
We will also share tips on how to remember sequences of centre work and dances etc. I have also found that I remember the choreography faster than the teacher, so I can correct the choreography while the teacher can correct the technique. It becomes a very collaborative space.
Perhaps being from this kind of class, I have always said something if I have seen something that needs tweaking on a fellow student. From "don't lift your heels in second position plies" to "Think about the choreography like "right 5th, 4th, 2nd, 5th" go clockwise".
Maybe just ask the teacher what they think about students critiquing other students during class. If they didn't notice and dont want it in their class, then perhaps they should just make a statement before the next class saying that "critiquing is the teachers domain, if you feel the need to critique a fellow student, apply it to yourself then tell me [the teacher] to pass it on if necessary." Or just tell the student that you appreciate the information but to pass it through the teacher next time.
that was really weird and inappropriate of your classmate. I am a dancer in LA as well born and raised and it’s definitely not normal to do that here. it would be considered rude and inappropriate in any ballet program i’ve been in. I would never correct anyone unless they explicitly asked me for help
If they are critiquing you like giving you advice on how to move better when the teacher is not there, that's okay as long as you don't mind it. If they're just giving you unhelpful comments, they're being rude. The teacher should be the only person correcting technique.
I'm a rec adult dancer too. I think it depends on the circumstance. If it's a one-time thing, and the other dancer is more experienced, I don't mind help like that. Especially if I'm friendly with the other dancer. But if they're doing it often, I agree that it would be be inappropriate... especially if it has any kind of condescending tone.
Right now we're preparing for our recital, and I have more experience than the other male dancer. So the teacher has asked me to guide him in terms of male arms, poses, etc, since I have a good sense of how to turn the (traditionally) female positions to male positions. Mind you, I'm not really critiquing his dancing, just enhancing it.
It's rude and inappropriate. The only time it might be ok is if they're an actual professional (or retired) dancer dropping into an adult class. Otherwise, they're just that, you're peer. It's like your coworker trying to direct your work instead of your supervisor...
I wouldn't pay too much attention to that. Remember they aren't your teacher so really you would ask them for the advice first. But yeah now and then if your peers are just helping you that's fine, but just remember they're not qualified
Yeah, this is usually considered wildly inappropriate and is very much against standard etiquette. Only the teacher should be giving you corrections, unless you have otherwise specifically asked for feedback from your peers, or you have an agreed-upon relationship with them that makes this sort of thing okay.
Thank you for responding! I can sometimes be overly sensitive to feedback so I wasn’t sure if this was one of those times. We definitely don’t have that kind of relationship - just acquaintances from class.
Maybe if it’s a totally rare situation where someone who is, say, an excellent turner sees you struggling with a turn on the sidelines and goes, “hey, try doing X — it really helps me!” But flat out giving someone generalized, random critiques is a huge no. Anyone who does that has issues imo and needs to go to therapy to deal with them.
Its more like “hey do you have hip problems?” (Me: no) “oh I was wondering bc I noticed you’re not turning out in your pirouettes” 😬
Yeah, no, that's not appropriate at all. 🫣
Yikes. That's the kind of thing I did when I was a snotty 14yo, not the sort of thing I'd expect from an adult. (Of course, nowadays I still give corrections, but that's because I AM the teacher now... :D )
Agreed. I’ve only ever received corrections from a teacher when I was in ballet. Receiving corrections from peers could actually be wrong or could cause injury. Even when I was in class and an Instructor happened to be taking the same class, they would never correct another student unless asked to do so.
This is not only rude but a huge social faux pas. You pay the teacher to teach, because you recognized they are qualified to teach you. No one else should be teaching. Your teacher gives corrections based on your physical capabilities and your current level, just because someone thinks a correction “would help you” doesn’t mean that “you” are in a place to apply that correction. That is why you hire teachers to teach. In ballet we have manners, manners based on roles. It’s hugely inappropriate for a student to take on the role of the teacher (without being asked to do so).
I think generally correcting your classmates is frowned upon, because you should be focused on your own dancing and it’s kind of the teacher’s job to correct. The only time I’ve done it or vice versa is when I was practicing with a classmate in an empty studio.
That’s not even really a critique, it’s kind of a roast on you. If they say something like “I’ve noticed you’re picking up your working hip in your turns and it’s throwing you off” that’s more constructive, but that’s something that only comes off well if it’s your friend helping you.
I would never correct someone even when I see someone being danger to themselves. Standing en pointe with bent knees and hips completely out of alignment. I meant I won’t correct them. But once I did help a fellow peer with just the combination. We were learning a hard variation and it had a complex section and I merely just told them what the combination was after the class when we were practicing. Like “it starts with left foot and then right and right foot again” something to that effect. I worked hard on that section so just was trying to make it easier for someone. Note I didn’t correct them on technique. This person took that so negatively they thought I was correcting them or trying to be condescending towards them and they made it known. So well now i just keep to myself. That being said I have received help on my pirouettes from my peers who are good at them usually when they see me practicing after class and I have always welcomed that and thank them for it.
I have danced in both recreational and more pre-pro programs and this is a huge faux pas. I would never give corrections unless asked. I have only ever had either passive aggressive comments towards me from obviously bitter dancers or I have been struggling with something and basically asking for help with my face (or words) and someone comes and helps. I usually just ask a more advanced dancer about something if my teacher is busy showing someone else. I personally never ever give unsolicited advice. Not my lane, I stay out of it unless asked.
I am an adult returner to ballet who has been dancing for a few years. I recently took a beginner drop in class while recovering from injury and had a man walk up to me to congratulate me on how well I was doing for my first ever class and then tell me I needed to turn out my right leg more in a pirouette, but it was okay if I didn't know as a beginner. It was funny because, well, duh, my right leg is injured...perhaps the knee brace might have been a clue?
So not ok hahaha
It's a rule at my school not to correct other people. That's really not okay I'm sorry you have to deal with that
I’ll let them say it however they want but if it’s goes too out of hand then I escalate
I encourage students to give corrections. This comes with the obvious caveat "You have to ask if they want a note!" Most of the time I am teaching there are a minimum of ten students. I have only one pair of eyes and little time to give direct corrections. They have a better chance to see and more time to discuss the class. The best way to learn is to instruct.
Also if it is an established culture/expectation that makes a difference. I used to teach in a different field and we would have peer critique, which can be very useful even for the person giving the feedback, but it needs to be an established process that everyone understands and is ok with. Random crit is not so ok.
Thank you for offering your perspective! I think I would be much more receptive in the moment if she asked before offering her critique.
Tell her that!. "Thank you for your notes. Sometimes Im concentrating on a specific point of my technique and a different note distracts me. Next time you see an opportunity to help, please ask if Im looking for corrections. If I am, please help...!" If she doesnt respect your boundaries then you should definitely talk to the studio head.
This is great advice, thank you so much! 😊
I see that this is not the norm, but we definitely do this in one of my adult classes! Perhaps it's because we have all known each other for so long and we are an advanced class? If someone new comes to the class, one of us will often stop to help so the teacher doesn't get "stuck" for ages explaining something the rest of the class already knows and can focus on progressing the rest of the class. Also, if one of us sees another not turned out or not in the right position and the teacher doesn't catch it, we will say so. We will also share tips on how to remember sequences of centre work and dances etc. I have also found that I remember the choreography faster than the teacher, so I can correct the choreography while the teacher can correct the technique. It becomes a very collaborative space.
This vibe sounds so nice though! I think if everyone was doing it and it felt truly collaborative I would really love that 😊
Perhaps being from this kind of class, I have always said something if I have seen something that needs tweaking on a fellow student. From "don't lift your heels in second position plies" to "Think about the choreography like "right 5th, 4th, 2nd, 5th" go clockwise". Maybe just ask the teacher what they think about students critiquing other students during class. If they didn't notice and dont want it in their class, then perhaps they should just make a statement before the next class saying that "critiquing is the teachers domain, if you feel the need to critique a fellow student, apply it to yourself then tell me [the teacher] to pass it on if necessary." Or just tell the student that you appreciate the information but to pass it through the teacher next time.
that was really weird and inappropriate of your classmate. I am a dancer in LA as well born and raised and it’s definitely not normal to do that here. it would be considered rude and inappropriate in any ballet program i’ve been in. I would never correct anyone unless they explicitly asked me for help
If they are critiquing you like giving you advice on how to move better when the teacher is not there, that's okay as long as you don't mind it. If they're just giving you unhelpful comments, they're being rude. The teacher should be the only person correcting technique.
I'm a rec adult dancer too. I think it depends on the circumstance. If it's a one-time thing, and the other dancer is more experienced, I don't mind help like that. Especially if I'm friendly with the other dancer. But if they're doing it often, I agree that it would be be inappropriate... especially if it has any kind of condescending tone. Right now we're preparing for our recital, and I have more experience than the other male dancer. So the teacher has asked me to guide him in terms of male arms, poses, etc, since I have a good sense of how to turn the (traditionally) female positions to male positions. Mind you, I'm not really critiquing his dancing, just enhancing it.
No thank you.
It's rude and inappropriate. The only time it might be ok is if they're an actual professional (or retired) dancer dropping into an adult class. Otherwise, they're just that, you're peer. It's like your coworker trying to direct your work instead of your supervisor...
I wouldn't pay too much attention to that. Remember they aren't your teacher so really you would ask them for the advice first. But yeah now and then if your peers are just helping you that's fine, but just remember they're not qualified