Unethical ballet teachers

[meadowblythe]

1 hour ago, DVDfan said:

It is not literally true that you cannot injure yourself with poor technique playing a musical instrument. Brass and woodwind players have to be taught correctly or they can suffer mouth and throat problems (as can singers). My youngest was taught a brass instrument incorrectly and now cannot play due to a throat problem. However, this has little impact on his daily life, whereas a hip, knee or back injury could be crippling. Dance does offer a whole different level of risk, obviously.

 

this is actually a good point.  My DD was seeing a physio and hand therapist at Conservatoire because she literally couldn't hold her instrument.  A friend had to buy a new instrument (at very considerable cost) to accommodate the damage done by playing.

 

My DD decided not to pursue a musical career and is now training as an OT - and has already been invited by her previous institution to discuss a role when she graduates working with students to minimise damage, both mentally and physically.

[NeverTooOld]

1 hour ago, Ruby Foo said:

I can repeat what I wrote in another post.

To be able to ballet correctly, it takes years and years of careful, detailed preparation of the muscles and joints, which starts with the understanding in the mind. To train the mind to send different messages than what it's used to. To take grown bodies with all their many issues and try to make twist themselves into mostly unattainable positions and movement without a clear understanding of the underlying technique is dangerous. We all know it's HOW you get from a to b that counts in Ballet. And to think that even the basic building blocks could be acquired in one mere lesson per week would be highly unlikely given that adults have spent many more years using their minds to control their bodies in a ' normal' way. Floating and wafting round the room is one thing but doing a full barre ( even basic) is another, if things like turning out from the hip is not explained properly and weight placement is not explained precisely and reminders made in every exercise, every week. To think that an adult who has never danced before and doing an hours class a week could then go on to build all the correct muscles and skills and understanding and control of weight placement and resistance, to transfer their bare minimum technique on to a tiny block, doesn't bear thinking about. 
I'm not against adults having fun in a ballet based class but let's not pretend this is ballet unless it's built up properly with the correct technique and please, no pointe work which is a complete safety concern for the reasons above.

From what I've seen and heard, adults fall into 2 different groups. Those that just want a bit of fun, a giggle, some fitness etc but not serious training and those that are serious who typically want corrections, improvements, development and often exams and performance opportunities, albeit knowing that they are way past the point of being professionals! In the case of the latter, I don't see any issues with adults starting pointe work as long as it is under the guidance of a proper teacher. I got my first pair of pointe shoes in my 40s. I had danced until early teens and then had been back at ballet for a number of years before I took that step. My teacher (fully qualified and experienced RAD teacher) assessed me, came with me to my first fitting and we took things slowly, focusing on proper technique all of the time. I was doing several classes per week, not just 1 class. The main difference I've found is the fear factor and second guessing yourself which youngsters don't seem to have. Progress has been slow but there has definitely been progress. I am also working through RAD exams so lots of focus on correct technique. Either of the 2 types of adults mentioned are perfectly fine - it is all about enjoyment after all and I agree that pointe shouldn't be done by those that are not taking it seriously or without a proper teacher but I do think there is a place for adults to start pointe work with proper training and supervision.

[Alexander]

I've found that ballet, for me, requires a lot of conditioning and strengthening. Rocking up to a class once or twice a week and then expecting to execute complex choreographies isn't going to go well. On top of that the amount of feedback and level or correction in a normal class will likely be limited. If I want to explore ballet more I need to do the work on fundamentals and strengthening and find the quality of feedback I can understand and consume.

 

Sometimes it seems to be a slow process so I have to build patience and resilience.

 

I know all of above because I went to a weekend event looking at a classical choreography. And I was not ready for it! Lesson learned  Back to fundamentals and getting the foundations strong and secure.

 

[Jan McNulty]

2 hours ago, Ruby Foo said:

I can repeat what I wrote in another post.

To be able to ballet correctly, it takes years and years of careful, detailed preparation of the muscles and joints, which starts with the understanding in the mind. To train the mind to send different messages than what it's used to. To take grown bodies with all their many issues and try to make twist themselves into mostly unattainable positions and movement without a clear understanding of the underlying technique is dangerous. We all know it's HOW you get from a to b that counts in Ballet. And to think that even the basic building blocks could be acquired in one mere lesson per week would be highly unlikely given that adults have spent many more years using their minds to control their bodies in a ' normal' way. Floating and wafting round the room is one thing but doing a full barre ( even basic) is another, if things like turning out from the hip is not explained properly and weight placement is not explained precisely and reminders made in every exercise, every week. To think that an adult who has never danced before and doing an hours class a week could then go on to build all the correct muscles and skills and understanding and control of weight placement and resistance, to transfer their bare minimum technique on to a tiny block, doesn't bear thinking about. 
I'm not against adults having fun in a ballet based class but let's not pretend this is ballet unless it's built up properly with the correct technique and please, no pointe work which is a complete safety concern for the reasons above.

 

So where does The Silver Swans scheme fit into this?

[NeverTooOld]

5 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

So where does The Silver Swans scheme fit into this?

I think the Discovering Repertoire syllabus is more directed at adults than children too.

[Peony]

Ballet schools generally let the teens en pointe when they do 2 classes a week and arguably they are at higher risk of injury. Nobody has explained why the difference?

ballet does often attract perfectionists but in reality you’re missing a large part of training if you don’t perform. It’s fine if people want to just practice in a studio, it’s equally fine if they prioritise performance. If you’re not en pointe I’m not sure the risk of injury is far in excess of other sport/ physical hobbies?

[balletfanatic]

2 minutes ago, Peony said:

Ballet schools generally let the teens en pointe when they do 2 classes a week and arguably they are at higher risk of injury. Nobody has explained why the difference?

ballet does often attract perfectionists but in reality you’re missing a large part of training if you don’t perform. It’s fine if people want to just practice in a studio, it’s equally fine if they prioritise performance. If you’re not en pointe I’m not sure the risk of injury is far in excess of other sport/ physical hobbies?

Agree about some people wanting to perform but they need to be ready to perform and perform the right rep. No point performing complex choreography after a few weeks of beginner classes without learning the basics and making a real hash of it. 

[Ruby Foo]

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

So where does The Silver Swans scheme fit into this?

I guess Silver Swans are run by RAD endorsed teachers so presumably they don't fall into the category of unethical ballet teachers and hopefully teach and explain at least some of the basics.

Adult ballet lessons seem to be an area that could easily be exploited by unethical teachers with anything being touted as ballet.

[Ruby Foo]

2 hours ago, NeverTooOld said:

From what I've seen and heard, adults fall into 2 different groups. Those that just want a bit of fun, a giggle, some fitness etc but not serious training and those that are serious who typically want corrections, improvements, development and often exams and performance opportunities, albeit knowing that they are way past the point of being professionals! In the case of the latter, I don't see any issues with adults starting pointe work as long as it is under the guidance of a proper teacher. I got my first pair of pointe shoes in my 40s. I had danced until early teens and then had been back at ballet for a number of years before I took that step. My teacher (fully qualified and experienced RAD teacher) assessed me, came with me to my first fitting and we took things slowly, focusing on proper technique all of the time. I was doing several classes per week, not just 1 class. The main difference I've found is the fear factor and second guessing yourself which youngsters don't seem to have. Progress has been slow but there has definitely been progress. I am also working through RAD exams so lots of focus on correct technique. Either of the 2 types of adults mentioned are perfectly fine - it is all about enjoyment after all and I agree that pointe shouldn't be done by those that are not taking it seriously or without a proper teacher but I do think there is a place for adults to start pointe work with proper training and supervision.

Really interesting to hear your perspective on this. I'm wondering how your teacher copes with adults who danced up till their early teens, have some background knowledge of ballet and who want to take it seriously and those who are complete beginners and want to do it for fun. It sounds like you have a very safe and fulfilling experience with a teacher who takes a great deal of care.

[Colman]

And those who are complete beginners 

10 minutes ago, Ruby Foo said:

Really interesting to hear your perspective on this. I'm wondering how your teacher copes with adults who danced up till their early teens, have some background knowledge of ballet and who want to take it seriously and those who are complete beginners and want to do it for fun

And those who are complete beginners and want to take it seriously?

[Ruby Foo]

1 minute ago, Colman said:

And those who are complete beginners 

And those who are complete beginners and want to take it seriously?

 Yes, also.

[Colman]

25 minutes ago, Ruby Foo said:

It sounds like you have a very safe and fulfilling experience with a teacher who takes a great deal of care.

This sounds typical of a teacher who includes adult students in their ballet school as students, as opposed to one who runs adult ballet classes. They're generally included in school shows, get the same sort of consideration the kids get and there's an (adult, hopefully) student-teacher relationship. We have two teachers like that locally, and a couple of teachers just running adult ballet classes. You need to know the difference and which you want. 

[NeverTooOld]

18 minutes ago, Colman said:

This sounds typical of a teacher who includes adult students in their ballet school as students, as opposed to one who runs adult ballet classes. They're generally included in school shows, get the same sort of consideration the kids get and there's an (adult, hopefully) student-teacher relationship. We have two teachers like that locally, and a couple of teachers just running adult ballet classes. You need to know the difference and which you want. 

You've hit the nail on the head! When I first joined the school, it was in an adult class although the teacher still taught properly, just more relaxed. There were a couple of beginners there too. Eventually they drifted off (as adults often do!) and it was left that I was the only adult so the school let me join in with the older teen students and I've done that ever since so I get corrected just as much as the younger students. My school and teacher have been so supportive and I know how lucky I am to have found that. I do know of a couple of other fairly local schools that teach adults through graded exams etc but there are also schools that won't teach adults at all, whatever level they are at! There was an adult class that started up at my school earlier this year but numbers dropped off and so it has been postponed with a view to restarting it at a later date. That was covering the discovering repertoire syllabus so there was some structure to it but a bit more relaxed. It seems that RAD are all for encouraging more mature dancers though with discovering rep, silver swans and they also got rid of the maximum age limit on exams so there is nothing to stop adults following the syllabus. It is nice that there are supportive teachers out there so I guess it is just a case of picking your school carefully! I also think it would be nice to see some sort of regulation in the ballet industry because anyone can set up a school and call themselves a ballet teacher which is just as risky for children as it is for adults. Not everyone looking for a class knows to look for a recognised and reputable qualification/registration. I am posting from the UK - I don't know how it works in other countries!

[The_Red_Shoes]

I think that most dance schools that have classes for adults offer the opportunity for participation in a school show. Certainly my current school's show last week included an appropriately choreographed item that all adults who wished were able to perform, including absolute beginners. Of course the important point is that it was suitable choreography with sections tailored to the technical abilities of individuals and groups. But everyone got to enjoy the experience of performing.

[Ruby Foo]

1 hour ago, Peony said:

Ballet schools generally let the teens en pointe when they do 2 classes a week and arguably they are at higher risk of injury. Nobody has explained why the difference?

ballet does often attract perfectionists but in reality you’re missing a large part of training if you don’t perform. It’s fine if people want to just practice in a studio, it’s equally fine if they prioritise performance. If you’re not en pointe I’m not sure the risk of injury is far in excess of other sport/ physical hobbies?

Hopefully the teenagers are going en pointe as part of a continuing programme of training that started quite a few years beforehand when bodies and brains were young, pliable and adaptive allowing their brains to build muscle memory that is now inclusive in their movements. Like driving whilst having a complex conversation with your boss ( hands free of course!) A 47 yr old adult, (a random example) having never danced before may well manage to build a decent technique and muscle strength with enough classes and a solid teacher providing the body and brain were functional enough. But pointe has to be done WELL to be safe. There's no grey areas. It would be surprising if that same person could develop feet strong enough or flexible enough, control of weight placement, strength of turn out and alignment and brain / muscle functionality to do pointe well. Teenagers in my classes didn't go en pointe until they were ready regardless of their age, peer status or how long they had studied. It's an individual decision by the teacher. But teenagers have the advantage of having a young adaptive body and mind.

[NeverTooOld]

1 hour ago, Ruby Foo said:

I'm wondering how your teacher copes with adults who danced up till their early teens, have some background knowledge of ballet and who want to take it seriously and those who are complete beginners and want to do it for fun.

In answer to this point, when we have had adult classes with mixed ability, my teacher is very welcoming to the beginners and encourages them to enjoy it and do what they can manage. She breaks the steps/exercises down into detail and does it with them so they can copy while offering help and gentle corrections i.e. in a more relaxed way. She offers more of a 'here is the correct way, have a go' approach with tips on how to do things safely which generally people seem to enjoy and respond well to.

[Colman]

13 minutes ago, Ruby Foo said:

It would be surprising if that same person could develop feet strong enough or flexible enough, control of weight placement, strength of turn out and alignment and brain / muscle functionality to do pointe well.

It would not surprise me. I don't think your assumptions about plasticity in older people are justified.

 

(I'm not sure that the conventional wisdom that you have to train madly from a very young age is justified either but that's a different thread.)

Edited July 15 by Colman

[Colman]

16 minutes ago, NeverTooOld said:

Eventually they drifted off (as adults often do!) and it was left that I was the only adult so the school let me join in with the older teen students and I've done that ever since so I get corrected just as much as the younger students.

Just to clarify, I'm  primarily thinking of schools that treat their adult classes as students, not necessarily ones who allow them train in the same class as the kids - though sometimes that happens to make up numbers. My son's Grade 6 class included a couple of adults, but our Discovering Rep and Grade 4 classes are separate adult classes, replete with detailed and hands-on corrections. 

[Trumpeting Violinist]

6 hours ago, DVDfan said:

It is not literally true that you cannot injure yourself with poor technique playing a musical instrument. Brass and woodwind players have to be taught correctly or they can suffer mouth and throat problems (as can singers). My youngest was taught a brass instrument incorrectly and now cannot play due to a throat problem. However, this has little impact on his daily life, whereas a hip, knee or back injury could be crippling. Dance does offer a whole different level of risk, obviously.

That's interesting, DD is both brass and string player, has been at a conservatoire JD for several years and I've never heard about throat problems from incorrect technique 🤔 

 

Health issues related to posture (not necessarily incorrect) are very common, that's true. For violinists it's an occupational hazard that may lead to chronic pain. Strange as it may sound, musicians overuse their limbs too, though of course as a parent of a dancer/musician my perception of risks in ballet and music are very different.

[Angela Essex]

Yes @balletfanatic the whole phenomenon of adult ballet classes with little focus on technique and a whole heap of complex choreography thrown in drives me absolutely nuts.

 

I started ballet from scratch as a middle aged mum 4 years ago and it’s been so hard to find classes that aren’t like this, especially without a lot of travelling.

 

I take private lessons and small group lessons with teens to 20year olds and have managed to cobble together a decent schedule of 3-4 classes a week.

 

However, my life would be a whole lot easier if every local adult ballet class could actually just teach consistently teach basic technique. Then I would not have to schlep all over the place. 

 

As for pointe yes I do a minuscule amount. I am taking it very slowly.

Edited July 15 by Angela Essex

[Peony]

12 hours ago, Ruby Foo said:

Hopefully the teenagers are going en pointe as part of a continuing programme of training that started quite a few years beforehand when bodies and brains were young, pliable and adaptive allowing their brains to build muscle memory that is now inclusive in their movements. Like driving whilst having a complex conversation with your boss ( hands free of course!) A 47 yr old adult, (a random example) having never danced before may well manage to build a decent technique and muscle strength with enough classes and a solid teacher providing the body and brain were functional enough. But pointe has to be done WELL to be safe. There's no grey areas. It would be surprising if that same person could develop feet strong enough or flexible enough, control of weight placement, strength of turn out and alignment and brain / muscle functionality to do pointe well. Teenagers in my classes didn't go en pointe until they were ready regardless of their age, peer status or how long they had studied. It's an individual decision by the teacher. But teenagers have the advantage of having a young adaptive body and mind.

im not sure what you think happens as you age but the average 47 year old will learn more quickly than a child. Muscles are pretty simple structurally, you exercise them, they develop. Facility is largely genetically determined. The fashion is for extreme flexibility but if you look at dancers in the past they didn’t generally have flat turn out or banana feet, those things aren’t necessary for safe technique. 
As an audience member I go to ballet to be entertained. It’s not all about technique; performance quality and musicality and sheer enthusiasm also count. At the top level (mentioning no names!) there’s certainly dancers with poorer technique than others who are much more pleasurable  to watch imo. I’m presuming this show is an amateur production aimed at an audience of friends and family, they’re perhaps just happy to support and encourage their relative. The most popular number at dance shows is usually the 4 year olds

and there’s very little technique on display there! To survive and thrive ballet does need to be a little bit more inclusive, nobody turns you away from the running club or the tennis club because you’re a 47 year old beginner!

[DVDfan]

As a light-hearted aside, parts of this discussion put me in mind of a passage from Simon and Brahms novel 'A bullet in the ballet'. Towards the end the inspector wants to put policemen on stage during a performance as extras. The ballet mistress objects. 'What's the matter?' asks the inspector, 'they only have to walk about.' 'But mon Dieu!' replies the ballet mistress, ''ow they walk!'.

 

 

[Fiz]

15 minutes ago, DVDfan said:

As a light-hearted aside, parts of this discussion put me in mind of a passage from Simon and Brahms novel 'A bullet in the ballet'. Towards the end the inspector wants to put policemen on stage during a performance as extras. The ballet mistress objects. 'What's the matter?' asks the inspector, 'they only have to walk about.' 'But mon Dieu!' replies the ballet mistress, ''ow they walk!'.

 

 

I’d forgotten how much I loved Simon and Brahms! Thank you for reminding me!

[balletfanatic]

6 hours ago, Peony said:

im not sure what you think happens as you age but the average 47 year old will learn more quickly than a child. Muscles are pretty simple structurally, you exercise them, they develop. Facility is largely genetically determined. The fashion is for extreme flexibility but if you look at dancers in the past they didn’t generally have flat turn out or banana feet, those things aren’t necessary for safe technique. 
As an audience member I go to ballet to be entertained. It’s not all about technique; performance quality and musicality and sheer enthusiasm also count. At the top level (mentioning no names!) there’s certainly dancers with poorer technique than others who are much more pleasurable  to watch imo. I’m presuming this show is an amateur production aimed at an audience of friends and family, they’re perhaps just happy to support and encourage their relative. The most popular number at dance shows is usually the 4 year olds

and there’s very little technique on display there! To survive and thrive ballet does need to be a little bit more inclusive, nobody turns you away from the running club or the tennis club because you’re a 47 year old beginner!

Totally agree about encouraging adult beginners and being inclusive. It's the inappropriate choreography that I have a problem with. I can't help thinking that the audience will secretly be laughing. I showed 2 non dancers the video of my friend's solo and they knew it was totally incorrect.

[Colman]

1 hour ago, balletfanatic said:

I can't help thinking that the audience will secretly be laughing

Cringing a bit perhaps, unless they're especially unkind.

 

I have recently seen a situation where a brash near-beginner simply would not be told by a teacher and insisted on performing steps far beyond their ability. They were quite upset when the choreography was simplified and wouldn't hear of it being simplified enough for them to perform it with dignity. At that stage you're either chucking them out or hoping they'll learn from the experience (I didn't feel safety was an issue).

 

If it was a martial arts class you'd let them try it in sparring against a couple of experienced people and they'd get instant feedback. It's more difficult with ballet.

[Ruby Foo]

9 hours ago, Peony said:

im not sure what you think happens as you age but the average 47 year old will learn more quickly than a child. Muscles are pretty simple structurally, you exercise them, they develop. Facility is largely genetically determined. The fashion is for extreme flexibility but if you look at dancers in the past they didn’t generally have flat turn out or banana feet, those things aren’t necessary for safe technique. 
As an audience member I go to ballet to be entertained. It’s not all about technique; performance quality and musicality and sheer enthusiasm also count. At the top level (mentioning no names!) there’s certainly dancers with poorer technique than others who are much more pleasurable  to watch imo. I’m presuming this show is an amateur production aimed at an audience of friends and family, they’re perhaps just happy to support and encourage their relative. The most popular number at dance shows is usually the 4 year olds

and there’s very little technique on display there! To survive and thrive ballet does need to be a little bit more inclusive, nobody turns you away from the running club or the tennis club because you’re a 47 year old beginner!

I'm certainly not suggesting that adult ballet should not be inclusive for all ages, that it should be enjoyable and fun. I'm all for as many people sharing the ballet experience as possible. I also know what happens as you get older as I am quite old now and taught adult classes for 15 years in all styles including ballet, tap, jazz and conditioning. 
Performance and musicality are a very big part of ballet but so is  technique. And without basic technique, it is not ballet. Sending messages to people that what they are doing is ballet, when it is not, is totally defeating the purpose in educating people about ballet. There is only one way to run and, with a bit of time and persistence you will soon be able achieve it. Running is something humans have been doing from hunter gatherer times and it's a completely natural process. 
The same cannot be said of ballet.

You can take beginners lessons at tennis but to play a match ( with other beginners) you need to hit the ball over the net and that means learning forehand, backhand, volley, lob, serve,  how to move and defend. The technique needs to be learnt or you can't play the game.

Most tennis clubs have quite a hierarchy.

Make ballet simple and enjoyable for beginners but don't exclude the basics because without them it's a made up form of dance.

[Kate_N]

10 hours ago, Peony said:

The most popular number at dance shows is usually the 4 year olds

and there’s very little technique on display there! To survive and thrive ballet does need to be a little bit more inclusive, nobody turns you away from the running club or the tennis club because you’re a 47 year old beginner!

 

Absolutely, @Peony I choose not to perform, but my studio welcomes anyone who wants to, and can commit to the rehearsals. And the 3 and 4 year olds are cute, but clueless on stage. My teacher usually choreographs something that she and her assistants also perform in, to keep the little ones on task!

[LinMM]

I can’t honestly say I’ve seen a beginners level class yet which doesn’t teach the basics of ballet. 

But maybe London has higher standards …generally speaking ….where Ballet is concerned? ( I’m preparing to duck…..) 

Many …perhaps even most …people who teach adult ballet also teach children so are properly trained usually either by RAD or BBO. 
Usually trained dancers who have recently been performing who take on adults don’t teach beginners start at a higher up level. 
If anything I’ve seen almost the over teaching of the basics to beginners where too much ( like level of turn out) is expected too soon rather than lack of basic instruction. 
I think some other poster here suggested the confusion of class naming ….like Ballet fit…which may be more loosely based on ballet …but I’ve not done one so not sure. 
I’ve attended Ballet Barre classes but ones I’ve done have all been with good teachers so properly ballet based even if no centre work. I’d use a ballet barre class if I just wanted to keep fit as ballet fit might easily degenerate into movement and music….nothing wrong with that but not ballet. 
After a 22 year gap I got back into ballet by being in a chi ball class at a local gym. It was based on the four seasons and I always looked forward to this class until the old brain cells caught up and I realised I liked it so much because it was so balletic and so started  looking for proper ballet classes again. I’d still do a chi ball class though!! 

 

Edited July 16 by LinMM

[Colman]

2 hours ago, LinMM said:

 

I can’t honestly say I’ve seen a beginners level class yet which doesn’t teach the basics of ballet. 

But maybe London has higher standards …generally speaking ….where Ballet is concerned? ( I’m preparing to duck…..) 

 

There’s an economic problem out in the sticks: you don’t have enough serious students so you can’t afford to drive away the keep fitters. Makes

it much harder to teach to a high standard.

[Jan McNulty]

5 minutes ago, Colman said:

There’s an economic problem out in the sticks: you don’t have enough serious students so you can’t afford to drive away the keep fitters. Makes

it much harder to teach to a high standard.

 

Exactly!

[balletfanatic]

7 hours ago, Ruby Foo said:

I'm certainly not suggesting that adult ballet should not be inclusive for all ages, that it should be enjoyable and fun. I'm all for as many people sharing the ballet experience as possible. I also know what happens as you get older as I am quite old now and taught adult classes for 15 years in all styles including ballet, tap, jazz and conditioning. 
Performance and musicality are a very big part of ballet but so is  technique. And without basic technique, it is not ballet. Sending messages to people that what they are doing is ballet, when it is not, is totally defeating the purpose in educating people about ballet. There is only one way to run and, with a bit of time and persistence you will soon be able achieve it. Running is something humans have been doing from hunter gatherer times and it's a completely natural process. 
The same cannot be said of ballet.

You can take beginners lessons at tennis but to play a match ( with other beginners) you need to hit the ball over the net and that means learning forehand, backhand, volley, lob, serve,  how to move and defend. The technique needs to be learnt or you can't play the game.

Most tennis clubs have quite a hierarchy.

Make ballet simple and enjoyable for beginners but don't exclude the basics because without them it's a made up form of dance.

This is exactly what I was getting at in my OP.  My friend's solo is at least equivalent to a grade 8 level dance (I'm fairly sure it's from a real ballet but can't place it and it may be a simplified version but it's still a difficult technical dance). You can't start ballet as a complete beginner and attempt grade 8 within a few weeks and anyone (dancer or non dancer) can see she's not dancing it properly.  I just can't understand a teacher thinking that's the right way forward for a complete beginner. 

[Angela Essex]

1 hour ago, Colman said:

There’s an economic problem out in the sticks: you don’t have enough serious students so you can’t afford to drive away the keep fitters. Makes

it much harder to teach to a high standard.

This is spot on

[LinMM]

But why wouldn’t “keep fitters” choosing to join a ballet class not want to learn about the ballet basics? Otherwise they could have always joined the more numerous Zumba classes or step classes or other slightly more crudely named fitness classes to music ….to keep fit ….but if they’ve chosen a ballet class especially as so few offered when you get away from the major towns/cities then I’d have thought they would be very happy with the ballet basics. 

If there is “unethical teaching”

which the OP seemed worried about could it not have arisen because people have asked for ballet classes but there hasn’t been a properly qualified teacher available so a teacher with minimal

knowledge ( perhaps did for a few years as a child) has set up a class. 
 

What I’m not understanding is the scenario where a properly qualified teacher would put a beginner into a show to dance complex choreography. 
It’s okay to put a beginner into a show of course …if they want to be in it ….but surely not beyond the wit of a teacher to create some simpler choreography for them!