Teacher Kit, as she is fondly known, lives nearby and has joined the girls in their classes at least twice before the school's field trip to Swan Lake. So the girls knew that she might pick on their bad habits. She had chided Bella previously at the barre about her sagging shoulders, for example, so today my daughter was prepared to pull her shoulders up and back and to remember to land squarely on fifth during her jumps.
To shake off nerves, the class began stretching while waiting. But Teacher Kit wasn't prompt. She was 10 minutes early! Immediately warm and friendly, she re-acquainted herself with the girls then went straight to business after and got her music ready. She used a different playlist than Teacher Vic's-which threw the girls off momentarily but they quickly recovered and seemed to be challenged by the faster tempo and different routine. I could actually see smiles on their faces as she gave off the instructions in French, as if the combinations tickled their minds and awakened their ballet muscles.
Kit was at once kind yet coercing, and I could tell that the girls were willing to up their game and be at their best. Today's substitute teacher made her name as Esmeralda, Kitri, Nikiya, Odette/Odile, Cio-Cio San, Swanilda, Wendy, Maria Clara, Sita, Aurora and most recently, as Giselle.
Not only is Teacher Kit a seasoned performer, she is also an experienced teacher having taught at her own studio and as a guest teacher in schools like the CCP Dance School and Steps. Additionally, Kit brings specialized knowledge and expertise as a certified Pilates instructor and since retiring from ballet, has found a thriving career as a strength and conditioning coach to athletes and professional dancers. The parents who were there that evening couldn't stop gushing about how fortunate their daughters had been at having Kit clinically assess and adjust their arabesque lines, and teach them how to properly access their battement and their passe turnout, and improve their spine alignment.
Teacher Kit also dissected their Variations and brought fresh insight on the girls' performance. She humorously pointed out how their arms needed to be softer, more expressive, and less "robotic' (which is a product of focusing on their legwork and forgetting the arms in the process).
It was clever how she let the class line up in front of the mirror, and do the "Bluebird" variation, sans the legs, and voila! their arms took on the grace of a princess!
The night was rich with "a-ha!" moments, and the girls really looked sharp by the end of the class. Teacher Kit's visit, of course, would not have been possible without Teacher Vic's long-standing relationship and connection to Kit and other ballet luminaries and all the top ballet companies.
With a smile and a curtsey, the class is done! No one even noticed that they had gone overtime.
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