In this new era of social distancing, Houston Ballet Academy’s spring semester has morphed into one like none other. At the end of March, Houston Ballet Academy joined many others in the shift to online learning.
For Houston Ballet Academy, online learning comes in the form of recorded and live ballet classes across multiple platforms. Faculty and staff quickly adopted Google Classroom, Vimeo and Zoom to salvage the spring semester. Registered students now access virtual content in a Google Classroom which corresponds to their level in the Academy. Recorded videos are available in Vimeo showcases and live classes are hosted via Zoom. Live classes are particularly important to maintain interaction, give corrections and connect with students. Academy instructors are thankful for the new technology and, though it comes with a learning curve, they are committed to continuing high-caliber training while out of the studio. “The faculty has done an amazing job, and they are continuing doing the thing that they do best – excellent training,” says Houston Ballet Academy Director Melissa Bowman.
Houston Ballet Academy trains more than 1,000 students annually, and it is determined to continue to reach them during this crisis. Its faculty and staff are working diligently to provide content suited for each level within the Preschool, Pre-Professional, Professional and Adult Programs. Academy leadership felt it was important to transition to online learning in order to continue training and to uphold its commitment to the students. “We want to sustain connection to our students for as long as it takes for COVID-19 to pass through Houston,” states Houston Ballet Director of Education Jennifer Sommers. “Everybody who works at Houston Ballet Academy is passionate about the work that we do. We are trying to replicate the excellent Academy experience as much as possible, given that every single person is working from their home.”
The online class environment is very different than that of the Center for Dance, and the Academy team is exploring ways to maximize the virtual platform. Along with Academy faculty, Houston Ballet company dancers such as Principal Connor Walsh are also teaching online classes. In addition to ballet technique, Bowman and Sommers are excited to offer supplemental content, including body conditioning, modern, terminology and how-to tutorials. “We are trying to round-out the educational experience as best we can by leveraging the online platform,” explains Sommers. “We can take the time that we don’t always have inside a traditional class to really dig into a particular step.” The in-depth tutorials are great educational tools to enhance training.
A benefit of recorded classes is students have 24/7 access to class content. The asynchronous experience allows flexibility during a time when families are adjusting to new schedules. Students are encouraged to repeat classes as often as possible, as repetition is a key element to learning ballet technique. Classes like Animal Flow, which uses ground-based movement and elements of bodyweight-training, led by Houston Ballet Strength and Conditioning Coach Aki Kawasaki include movement experiences in which the whole family can participate.
“The best part about online learning is that you can see more details,” states HBII student Jefferson Bryant. A member of Houston Ballet’s second company, Bryant is taking advantage of the opportunity to pause recorded classes at any point to watch again and dive into the details. While Bryant prefers this and going at his own pace, he also enjoys being motivated by the instructor during live classes. Bryant misses certain aspects of training in the studio, including friends and teachers who support him, friendly competition and, of course, the mirror. He is finding new ways to push himself and is taking time to learn from teachers with different ideologies and explore new styles online in addition to his Houston Ballet Academy training.
Online learning isn’t just available to aspiring young dancers. In lieu of its traditional drop-in classes, Houston Ballet Academy is now offering live classes via Zoom. The open classes are geared towards students ages 14 and up and cost $10 per class. The move to virtual classes creates exciting opportunities and Bowman believes this shift has changed dance forever. “The virtual option is really great to reach other people you wouldn’t normally reach,” explains Bowman. The Academy hopes to reach even more people with this option, which has the added bonus of avoiding the constraints of traffic time and parking Downtown.
“We are really grateful for the families’ patience, support, encouragement and commitment to Houston Ballet Academy as we navigate this difficult transition,” expresses Sommers. The Academy welcomes feedback from families to ensure they are having the best possible experience.
Though the current situation is far from ideal, Houston Ballet Academy is optimistic and still dancing. “We are continuing our training,” says Bowman, “We are Houston Ballet and Houston Strong, and even through this we are doing tendus.” Houston Ballet Academy will continue dancing online until it is safe to gather in the studio again.
by Chenay Newton