GOH BALLET TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM:

1. What is the full title of your teacher training program and who runs the program?
The full title of the program is Goh Ballet Summer Teacher Training Course. Mrs. Lin Yee Goh, the principal and co-founder of the school, runs the program.

2. What is the next date (please include start and finish date, and length of sessions), location and theme of your teacher training program?
Dates: June 23 - July 12, 2008
- Monday through Fridays (Saturdays optional for ballet class) 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. depending on the schedule of the day.

Location: Goh Ballet Academy, 2345 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V5T 3C9

Canada Theme: We will be teaching the following through the basic Vaganova Method with international upgrades:

1. Teacher training for young children aged 4 - 12

2. Method for training students from Intermediate to Advanced levels
- Including technique development, pointe work, men's work, allegro work
- correcting bad habits of ballet to ensure development of strong professional technique, and avoiding incorrect methods
- straight forward or direct teaching of correct technique in order to prevent injuries

3. How did the program start? Can you offer some of the history? How long has it been in existence?
Initially, the teacher's training course was a 2-week program that included anatomy and dance history. It was developed for Goh Ballet Academy's teaching staff in order to improve their teaching methods for children. The response to the program was positive and had a beneficial impact for the Academy. Therefore, in Summer 2007, details of this program were further refined and registration for the program was open to both teachers from Goh Ballet Academy and other schools. Beijing dance professor of the Vaganova Method of dance, Mr. Xu Dingzhong, was the main instructor for the course. The course included international upgrades of the method and improvements for teaching.

4. How did you start teaching? What is your dance background?
I started teaching in Beijing Dance Academy in China and I learned the teaching method from the Academy. I became a teaching assistant and shortly after, joined the company to become a part-time instructor and full time dancer in 1961. In 1962, I transferred to the China National Ballet Company and became a dancer and instructor of the company for 10 years. Following my time there, I moved to Canada and opened Goh Ballet Academy which began as a very small school and developed professional training programs for students. The school grew and moved to its present location and both professional training programs and general training programs became available.

5. What is your teaching style or philosophy?
The teaching method that I use is based on the Vaganova Method of training, but it also includes upgrades to the Vaganova Method as well as integration with other methods including the Royal Academy of Dance, Cechetti, and Royal Danish Methods. My first love is teaching, especially seeing the growth in children as they mature through their youth into professional dancers. It makes me proud and happy for them.

6. Who or what are your greatest teaching influences?
Valentina Romanchawa was my greatest teaching influence. Her dedication, love for students, passion, disciplline and her strictness were all an inspiration to me. Through her language and her direct teaching methods, she helped build my confidence in teaching and showed me how to be a great teacher since she was concerned with all her students and not just one or two top students from the class.
I also liked Stanley William's teaching method and ideas. He was able to help ballet dancers to work their turn-out (an essential in ballet), feet work, correct bad ballet habits, and develop good technique. Mr. William had very intelligent combinations in class that encouraged development of strong ankles and good posture from his dancers.

7. What is the overall goal and purpose of the program?
Over the years, I have found that many teachers train students that develop bad ballet habits and do not necessarily achieve the best results in their students even though they have the best of intentions. I have also seen students with good techniques, and that when I see the important role of the teacher. Often I find that knowing how to teach effectively comes from experience and knowledge. An older teacher's experience must be passed on to new teachers in order to develop their skills to achive the most positive and efficient results. In my opinion, excellent teaching skills will help develop excellent foundation in young dancers.

8. What are the course offerings?
The course includes ballet class training, method teaching, dance history, anatomy and an oral exam at the end to demonstrate the teaching skills acquired.

9. What will participants gain from attending?
Participants will learn how to plan the class and make a class successful. They will also be taught appropriate methods for managing different types of students in different class levels. The student mentality and attitude is key in the success of a ballet dancer and acquiring knowledge about how to direct them in the correct path towards more professional attitudes with good discipline is important. Participants will also learn to teach students how to love music and dance, and give suggestions regarding the planning of class will be given.

10. What can participants experience or take away from your program that they may not at other programs?
Participants of this program will gain a deeper confidence in teaching since the knowlege they will obtain has been acquired over years and years of experience. The Vaganova Basic Method is very successful in training great dancers, as many of the great dancers of the world were trained through this method. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to gain experience as a student teacher since the course will be taught in a professional ballet academy. Even if a participant does not plan to become a teacher immediately, the course can also help dancers in dancing, because learning how to teach can help them realize basics that may not be understood.

11. What are some of the highlights from last year or past years?
There wasn't just one highlight that comes to my mind. The participants were very impressed with the amount of knowledge that Mr. Xu had to offer. At the end of the course, everyone felt that the course was not long enough to absorb all that he had to offer. Every day was a new experience for the participants, and they asked Mr. Xu to come back again this year.

12. Are there specifications for attending that our readers should know about? What type of teachers usually attend? (i.e. K-12, studio teachers, college, etc.)
All kinds of teachers attend. The majority have teaching experience or a teaching certificate from another ballet institution. Another group of participants are dancers or students who are new to teaching and want to have a teaching careers. Many participants come from abroad as well.

13. What type of certification is available and what are those requirements?
A Goh Ballet Teacher Training Certificate is available upon successful completion of the course. The certificate will be based on the level of our course completed. The participants must have or have an equivalent of RAD Intermediate level in order to take this course.

14. Who should interested participants contact for information? (Name, address, phone, email, web)
Please contact Julia Cha at Goh Ballet Teacher Training Program for more information.