Ways of passing information; Pictures

By using pictures as a support tool we can explain what words can not or hard to explain by words, also picture can pass the information much more quicker and direct to people in ballet class.

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And, one of the biggest advantage of using picture is people can can explain to the people who do not understand the language or people who struggle to read the text books.
Especially there can be a lot of foreign students or dancers in class, rehearsals and in performance,
as my self as a foreign dancer, I appreciate the inportantness of using pictures.

For example, there are one of ballet positions call Attitude.
The position of Attitude can be explain as;A position in which the dancer stands on one leg (known as the supporting leg) while the other leg (working leg) is lifted and well turned out with the knee bent at approximately 90-degree angle. The lifted or working leg can be behind (derrière), in front (devant), or on the side (à la seconde) of the body. In some styles of ballet, such as RAD, the foot should be below the knee, creating an obtuse angle at the knee. In others, such as the Balanchine and Russian styles, the foot must be in line with the knee or above it, creating an angle that is 90-degrees or less. The attitude position can be performed with the supporting leg and foot either en pointe, demi pointe or on a flat foot.

I do personally find it hard to imagine what the position is like just by this explanation above.
But, if there are a picture as a support, thing will become much more easier and direct.

However, pictures and words can give wrong impression to the readers.
Mr N Ito mentions in one of his books saying that, Ballet is a very stiff form of dance.
He mentions that ballet positions in text books are looks very alike to the positions of flag semaophore.

Pictures can support which words can not explain.
But, as Mr Ito mentioned in his book, pictures can give wrong impression to the readers too, as ballet should not be stiff form of dance.
Then what can we do?

Quotes from

Mr Noboru Ito's "Analyzing the performance of super human"

Glossary of Ballet position
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_ballet

Teacher or Role Model? Words to explain or Example to inspire?

I have analysed my way of teaching on my previous blog.
The question is, does it really work?

The answer is Yes, and No.

I was helping a student the other day. He was struggling with a step and I could see what the problem was straight away. The problem was he could also see the problem; The problem was very simple, but the solution was not. So, we tried all of my tactics. But, none of them worked. I was a bit disappointed in my self.
So, next day, I actually did the step by hoping to find out the solution for him. I did not have problem with the step as I am professional and I had same problem a long time ago.
I was thinking and physically trying to work out the right solution for him.
Then, I have noticed he was watching me practice the step. And, when I looked at him trying the step, he was doing much better. His bad habit was fading away!
However, his habit came back slowly, and by the time end of the session, he was again fighting with the step.

I have learned from this experience that, demonstration clearly worked better than explain by words for him.

In Japan, we have famous saying "百聞は一見に如かず"；one eye witness is better than hundred words. He has learned more from me as being a practitioner, not as being a teacher.
However, the problem was the effect did not last long time; it was a good solution, but not perfect.
Dr W. Wenger explains this phenomenon as "Fade out effect".  When we learn new skills it lasts for fifteen mins, then after they fade out slowly. Physically, mentally. That is why ballet lessons are based on repetition.

From this experience, I have strongly realised the importantness of being able to demonstrate when it needs to be required as a teacher.
I guess students hear more from our attitude and action, rather than words. And, people say Action speaks louder... very true.

Summer school 2.3 Analysing the process

The second week of summer school gave me another opportunity to think about my way of teaching.

I analysed my coaching system by teaching and supporting students in second week.

1, Observe and diagnose the students to find the problem 
2, Think of all the possible solution to solve the problem, build a strategy
3, Try and error of the strategies of mine, and also discuss with the students to find out what is most suitable solution for them 


1, Observe and diagnose the problem

This process contains observing student's mental and physical condition to work out what exactly causing the  problem. I usually divide in three section

1, Technical problem; most common problem. 

Solution; I tried to find what is causing the problem. And, I ask them question how they feel about the step, and why they think the problem is happening, and ask them what is suitable solution to them.
In this process, usually students started to see and feel what is wrong and what is causing the problem.
If, they struggle still, I give my opinion. But, I usually keep my opinion till they really need my help. There are my reasons of my action.
1, They need to understand them selves, which means they constantly need to be aware of what is going on inside of them selves, physically, mentally. As I know from the experience that no can really help us, and our selves are the best coach to us.
I also think it is important for students to think and guess by using their own brain and body to explore and experience. And, that is supposed the most fun part of learning! Well, at least to me.
This problem can be solved very easily and instantly, if only students are ready in this stage.
If, students are not physically, mentally ready to complete the steps, I just try to encourage them and tell them how good they are doing by thing to archive some thing difficult or too advance for them.

2, Physical problem; problem possibly comes from the students physical limits, or if students have physical pain  that can restrict their movements, and that can cause difficulty in dance

Solution; If, students physical limits are causing the problem, I analyse and suggest different way of executing the step, as these physical limits cause injuries in the process. And they need to be told by teachers to prevent the physical damage to minimum. However, from my experience, these problems occur to hard working students, who most likely not to listen or take my advice till they get hurt them selves; till they make own mistakes and learn from it. As I guess that is only way.

3, Physiological problem; it often comes from previous experience of failure, which possibly contains physical pain or sometimes students experience the feeling of embarrassment, that can cause mental pain. These experience occurs the feeling of fear, embarrassment, all the negative feelings, and that effect massively physically to interrupt and hesitate students  from trying again or trying new steps.

Solution; This can be difficult, as I need to talk to the students properly, and often I do not have time just for one student, as I supposed to teach every one in class. However, when I given time to solve the problem, I usually try to take the students focus for some thing else. For example, if they are scared of falling to the floor, I ask them to focus and feel the through the feet, or ask them to focus on feeling their tongue while they are doing the step. Also, making them sing a song can work as they need to focus on singing and to use the different part of brain. I  guess it is just try and error for this problem.

Ways of passing our information; Words

Chimpanzees don't look or act like us even though we share about 99% of our DNA.
Also, human shares about 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees, making them our closest living relatives, says computational biologist Janet Kelso of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.

So what makes us human different from the other spices on this planet?
I personally think one of the main things what defines us from the others are the ability of quality communication skills and the ability to share the information. Human is the only species which has created own language and words. 
That allow us to pass on our history next generation. So, we can learn most of the mistakes and achievements which our ancestor have created and reached till today. 

Same in teaching ballet. 
All the ballet text books have assembled and explained what ballet is by words with a bit of pictures. It makes sense as words are our main way of communication. All the promises and contracts are created based on our language.

However, As Ballet is a part of visual arts how useful the words are in Ballet?

What Ballet makes very different from the other forms of dance is the existence of strict rules. These rules defines ballet from the other types of dance. 
For example, positions, movement of turning out of the legs and postilions, etc...these are very strict and, this is very very important, without following these rules, Ballet can not be recognised as ballet or not allow to be what it is.
And, the best and easiest way to teach and explain the rules is by words.  Like most of Games on the markets contains instructions to explain the rule.
No rule, NO game. Or some times change the rules to change the game like Rugby originally played as foot ball. Modern dance originally come from a classical dance.

My concern as a practitioner and as a teacher is most of ballet teachers rely on words when they teach.
Most of the ballet teachers understand the important of the rules in Ballet, as the rules make what Ballet is.
Therefore, most of the teachers are trying imprinting the rules of ballet to the students since young.
However, a lot of problems have often occur in these processes.
The main problem comes from the fact most of the teachers misunderstand what teaching is; they think teaching ballet is teaching the rules of ballet.
And, also a lot of students suffer physically and psychologically by teachers misdirection and misleading. Which come from the lack of understanding in ballet as a subject.

So, where the root of these problems comes from? I thoughts about this for long time. Therefore, I observed lots of teachers, also being in class as a practitioner.
And, I came down to a conclusion; most of the teachers misunderstand that they think they can make students understand what they are trying to tell them by just using words with a bit of demonstration; problem in communication.

Through my observation, discussions with the teachers and also experiencing as being a practitioner, I say it is wrong to think we can make students understand that easily.

However, as I mentioned earlier on, words are the best way to communicate with the others and the best way to pass the information.
Then, why is this happening? Aren't we supposed be learning from our ancestors great achievement and mistakes? The information has passed on to next generations, then why are we still making mistakes?
The fact is, by using words we are passing and receiving certain information. However, there are a big blind spot in the process; we are not actually learning any thing, we are just receiving the information. It is simple but very easy to confuse between these two.
We all know having war is not the best solution from our history. But it is still happening in all over the world. Why is that? It is simply because we only learn from our own mistakes and experience. Not from the information which we have given.

From my experience including observations and all, I have noticed that these misunderstandings happen often to the people who has lack of experience or lack of understanding of knowledge. And, somehow these people blindly believe that they are absolutely right.
These teachers causes the problem; damage the students mentally and physically as they use students for their self indulgence or to make them feel good of them selves, with out relising.
It is easy for teachers to criticize the students, but hard to speak back or question to the teachers, as ballet class automatically creates the atmosphere which hard for students to question about what teachers say.
Also,when teachers find hard to teach the students, it is easy for teachers to give up and say "these are bad, talent less students, therefor, it is not my fault that they are not learning from me!". Instead of thinking of different ways of teaching or trying to see the problems from different angle.

There are only so much we can pass on by using words, even when it used correctly. So when I use the words to describe in ballet class, I always try to use the words to lead to the direction which they can use their own imagination.

Words are only a tool to lead us to the right direction. Not the answer. Because I know the fact in ballet, the answers are the same but shapes differently as we are all individuals, and they can not be described by the words.


Quotes from Science now https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dna+human+monkeys+similar&rlz=1C1CHMO_enGB544GB544&oq=DNA+human+monkey&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l3.10549j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Ikae Experience 2; Cons of Great Instruction

There is another experience of building Ikea furniture.

On my previous blog, I have mentioned how well their instructions function.

It only works if the instructions is correct.

One of the instruction was incorrect. And, I explain how much problem it caused.
My friend and I have notice that there are something wrong in the process of building. But, we could not worked it out. We really checked and broken down pieces to rebuilt it from the beggining. but, the result was still the same. We both tried to ignore some sections and follow our instinct, but still did not work. So, we called another friend for third party eyes. As he arrived, he pointed out the mistake straight away.
But, there is the real important problem; He saw the mistake straight away, but the instruction was so simple and clear that, he doubt himself.
In the end I took it back to Ikea and explain the situation. And, they found the fault in the instruction.

By mislead by the great instruction, we have wasted our time, man power,and money too.

This experience really reminded me how much I need to be careful when I teach students.
Especially, when teachers are so confident, it creates the atmosphere of not allowing to question about their words.
The mistake was so obvious, but the assumption of  the greatness of the instruction from the previous experience blinded us, and we have mislead without realising.

We need to use our brain and always should not forget to question ourselves.

Ikea Experience 1; Great Instruction

I have had opportunity to build quite a lot of furniture from Ikea the other day.

There are two things I have noticed by the experience of building few of their furniture.

1, Their instructions do not contain words. They simply guide us how to build the furniture by drawings and illustrations, and the numbers.

I found this Ikea instructions extremely interesting, as most of the instructions and textbooks are based on words. Then, I wondered WHY? There are few possibilities I can think of;
1, The company is so international and if they use all different languages to explain how to build the furniture, instructions will become so big and thick.
2, Pictures and illustrations explains pretty well how to build the furniture; no needs of using words and they functions well.
It made think that, maybe this is one of the reasons why demonstrations are more effective when I teach ballet class?

2, More I built their furniture, faster I got to built new ones; I have found that there are patterns how to build Ikea furniture. So, by the time I was making the last furniture, I could guess what goes where and how to assemble them just by looking at the parts.

This fact was also very interesting to me, as by the time I was building the last furniture, my arms and body moved automatically; as I read the instruction, my arms were already looking the right screws and tools to build the each section.
At the begginig of the building process was;
1, Read the instruction
2, Find the right parts and tolls for the section
3,Think about it ( well, it is pretty straight forward so do not need much of time to think, just checking to make sure parts were correct and check what goes where )
4, Assemble

However, by the time I have built few, my process became
1, Find the right parts and most suitable tools for the section ( suggested tools do not mean they are most suitable tool for me to complete the section most successfully ) as I am reading the instruction simultaneously.
2, Assemble

By building fair amount of Ikea furniture, I have leaned their patterns.
Therefore, my process got faster as I have physically experienced and understood about their furniture. By deepening the understanding towards their furniture, I started to do only and exactly what I need to do to build them; started to illuminate the unnecessarily process.

Win Wengar and Richard Poe explains these learning process by using Hebbian theory in their book " The Einstein Factor". My process is a good example of building the Hebbian connection in my brain. They explain that the process of repeating actions makes Hebbian connection stronger.

Let us assume that the persistence or repetition of a reverberatory activity (or "trace") tends to induce lasting cellular changes that add to its stability

Hebb.D.O. Explains in his book The Organisation of Behavior.

The learning process of aim is to filter the experience, then decide what to illuminate as the unnecessary action in life, to make more pure and clearer. Not adding more things. Completely opposite of that.

Summer school 2.1 and 2.2

Second, third day of  Summer school week two.

Kids are well behaved. All is smooth and well,which makes our job extremely easy. It is a very big contrast from previous week.

However, as they make our life easy, I feel like I am not learning much as there no problems. I am not complaining.

However, I have noticed us practitioners learn more from difficult situations by struggling to exam our own tactics. Struggle and obstructs makes us learn more and requires full function of our brain. More we push our brain to think fast, decide fast and act immediate, I feel like we are becoming one step closer to students and becoming a bit better teacher.