BEHIND every star dancer is a star teacher... but teaching is as much about the students who don't go on to a stage career as it is about star students. It's about developing a love of the artform in young people, developing future audiences for, and advocates of, dance. It's about teaching life-skills such as discipline and tenacity. It's about passing on the joy of movement.
Teaching dance, handing on the knowledge to the next generation, is a huge responsibility and takes years of training, both informal and formal. Whether or not they have danced professionally, our best dance teachers have studied their chosen genres intensively and extensively. This detailed knowledge of technique and artistry is then married with the skills of pedagogy; the ability to break down new skills, to engage, to inspire, to stand firm, to discipline, to lead by example, to motivate, to be compassionate, to cater to the needs and abilities of all students,to help all students to achieve to the best of their abilities.
In the upcoming edition of Dance Australia we will be presenting our new Teachers’ Spotlight, a feature that celebrates the incredible work of dance teachers, by profiling teachers from dance studios and institutions around Australia.
Here's a sneak peek of one of those profiles - Kate Hiron's incredibly moving account of the path that she has taken to becoming a teacher. You'll be able to read the rest in the December/January issue of Dance Australia, out soon!
Kate Hiron
Senior teacher, The Conlan College (NSW)
“IF you’d asked me 17 years ago where my path was leading me it would have been a certain answer, ‘Professional dancer.’ However life threw me a few curve balls and changed my trajectory.
“I left school to pursue dance when I was 15. My mother and my grandmother went to extraordinary lengths for me to study this beautiful art form. Under the guidance of Prudence Bowen I achieved such accolades as the Wahringah Scholarship, outright winner of the McDonalds Scholarship, RAD Bursary, Genee Gold and a scholarship from the Prix de Lausanne. Back stage, however, my mum was fighting a very aggressive form of breast cancer. We lost her just after the McDonald’s Scholarship.
“I took my place in 3rd year at the Royal Ballet School in 1999 but fell from a jump in class and injured my ankle very badly. That’s when I started to really grieve and I just couldn’t hold it together emotionally after that. I came home and began teaching for the Conlan College. Over time I learned to let go of my own dancing and focus on others. I have a deep passion for teaching and doing everything I can to help my students become strong dancers both physically and emotionally. I believe I am exactly where I was designed to be.
“I love watching my students, be it 3 year olds or 18 year olds, develop and discover. I love the satisfaction they get when they reach their goals and find new ones. Every student in the class matters to me. I make sure there’s no one being overlooked or hiding in the corner.
“Teaching, like dancing, is ever evolving and so has the capacity for constant growth and discovery. I love learning from other professionals and having more ammunition in my arsenal to help my kids.
“I love observing students and figuring out what I can take from one to give to another. I love choreography and the excitement we all feel for creating something new. I love all the personalities that walk through our doors.
“What’s not to enjoy really?”
Above: Kate Hiron teaching Conlan College student Phoebe Anderssen.