The Secret to Asking Better Questions in Dance Class
As a dance educator, I absolutely LOVE questions. I believe asking questions is one of the best ways to learn. I am constantly asking my students questions and I am always encouraging dancers to speak up when they don’t understand something or need some clarity.
Why is it so important to ask questions? Asking questions:
Encourages active learning
Helps us retain information
Keeps us engaged
Helps grow confidence
As much as I love questions, what I love even more are questions that show me a dancer has been paying close attention and has taken steps to see if they can figure out the answer before asking. To me, this is the true sign of a smart dancer who is taking accountability for their education.
So what’s the secret to asking better questions in dance class? Ask yourself if your question is:
Relevant
Timely
Specific
Clear
Concise
Let’s dive in to what each of these concepts looks like in the context of a dance class:
Relevant
Connected with what is currently happening
❌ Any question that does not have to do with the current combination being taught or the current lesson
✅ A question that is connected to what is currently being taught in the class at this very moment
For example: we’re doing an adagio and you ask your instructor to go over how to do a pas de chat. Unless there’s a pas de chat in the adagio (which would be a little weird!), this isn’t a great time to ask that question. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask for clarification if you need help with pas de chats, it just means that it’s not the right time. Wait until it comes up in a combination, or schedule a private lesson with your instructor to go over it more in detail.
Timely
Done at a favorable or useful time
❌ Asking a question before the teacher has finished demonstrating the combination
✅ Waiting until the teacher has finished demonstrating the combination
I’ve seen many dancers raise their hand the second they think of a question (or worse yet, blurt it out and speak directly over the teacher). They might be afraid they will forget their question if they don’t get it out right away - I get it! The issue is, the dancer is often so focused on their question that they miss out on other important parts of the combination. It also causes the teacher to lose their train of thought - just like interrupting someone mid-conversation, I often have to start from the beginning of showing a combination to get back on track after a question mid-demonstrating.
More often than not, your question will be answered if you wait until the end. Dance combinations tend to be repetitive so if you watch closely, you will likely learn the answer to your question. Also, many instructors prefer to show the whole combination for counts and continuity and then go back and point out specifics. Listen and absorb until the very end and then if you still have questions, speak up!
Specific
Precise, Limited, Clearly Defined
❌ Asking the teacher to repeat the entire combination again
✅ Asking a question about a particular:
Step
Count
Formation
Whenever a student asks me to repeat an entire combination again, I typically ask for a more specific question. What part of the combination do you really need help with? If they don’t have one, I ask them to start going over the combo on their own until they get stuck. Often times students are surprised at how much they really do know! This helps dancers accept responsibility for being the one to learn the combination and for discovering where they specifically need more support.
Clear
Easy to understand
❌ Starting your question without giving any prior context or with the assumption that the other person can read your mind
✅ Giving context and details so that your teacher knows exactly what you're talking about
A question can seem so clear in our head that we just assume the other person knows what we’re talking about and start talking in the middle of a thought. When forming your question, remember that your teacher is not inside of your head and unfortunately can’t read your mind. For example, sometimes a dancer will ask “Which count is the arabesque on?” when there are three different arabesques in the combination. Make sure your teacher knows exactly which one you need clarification on!
Concise
Expressing yourself in few words
❌ Adding unnecessary information that isn't helpful or relevant to ask your question
✅ Thinking through your question ahead of time and choosing your words carefully
Have you ever started talking before a thought has fully formed in your head? Sometimes a simple question turns into a long confusing tangent. Before you raise your hand, take a second to really think about what you’re asking so you can be as efficient as possible.
By utilizing these 5 elements, you’ll not only be able to ask better questions - you’ll get better answers and become a better dancer for it! As Professor and author Neil Postman wrote in his book Teaching As a Subversive Activity: "Once you have learned to ask questions – relevant and appropriate and substantial questions – you have learned how to learn and no one can keep you from learning whatever you want or need to know."
So the next time you are getting ready to ask a question, ask yourself: “Is it relevant? Timely? Specific? Clear? Concise?” If you can say yes to all of these elements, you’ve got yourself a dynamite question!
Meet the Author
Caitlin Sloan is a Dance Educator and Career Mentor based in Madison, WI.
Caitlin received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Grand Valley State University and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri.
She danced professionally for nine years with companies including Ballet Tucson and Missouri Contemporary Ballet (now Mareck Dance). Caitlin has taught at schools all over the Midwest, most notably serving as Director of The School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet and Youth Company Director for Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. She is currently on faculty at the School of Madison Ballet.
Caitlin founded The Brainy Ballerina® in 2019, a virtual resource providing support and guidance for aspiring ballet dancers. Follow @thebrainyballerina on Instagram for your daily dose of dance career guidance and inspiration.
