The authors couple ballet pedagogy with motor learning, teaching styles assessment, and instructional strategies to offer valuable insight and advice for teaching beginning ballet. With its inviting layout and easy-to-read format, Teaching Beginning Ballet Technique facilitates the learning process for both the instructor and the student.

Part I gives instructors the tools they’ll need to teach the content in Part II. It provides specific information about the teaching/learning process, understanding the theoretical foundations of ballet, constructing and managing the class, and assessing student progress.

Part II presents a logical, sequential plan that guides instructors through the actual teaching of exercises, steps, principles, and progressions. The authors outline four instructional units, each representing three to four weeks of a high school or college term. Each unit includes objectives, teaching strategies, assessment tools, teacher responsibilities, and performance test content. In addition, each exercise and step is accompanied by a detailed description consisting of

• a definition with pronunciation cues,
• a verbal depiction,
• arm positions,
• standard introductory movements or preparation,
• proper breathing or breath phrasing,
• teaching cues and images,
• an assessment checklist, and
• much more.

The book also contains 215 photos that illustrate proper beginning ballet technique.

A related CD-ROM, Interactive Beginning Ballet, provides another power visual tool for understanding techniques and terminology. The book and CD-ROM are available separately, or you can save money by buying them as a package. See "Companion Resources" for more information.