Well, I for one, read the articles in Libe and I was totally shocked!!
You will say 'well, so what?' I will reply that it is exceptional for me to be appaled by such situation, because I'm FOR discipline... And plenty of it. I believe the more you let those kids do whatever they want, the more they'll walk all over you. Kids being what they are, they actually LIKE discipline, and they function better with it.
So, am I contradicting myself? No, because I think a truly harsh, focused ballet class is necessary to progress, and a very demanding schedule, very demanding teachers are what will be required to make it to the top.
BUT (and that's an enormous one) I think the article mostly focuses on what's happening AFTER class (and that's what shocked me most)... We will all agree that constructive criticism, corrections, whatever you want to call it, is not meant to be a personal criticism, that once you pass the door of the studio, it's finished, you close the topic and go away (or rather, ideally, you go to your room and think again about your mistakes, and remember to correct them in your next class ) but what I want to say is that, the best thing a teacher can do is give plenty of corrections, but still leads the child with an arm around their shoulders (if you see the image I'm trying to convey here)...
At POB, it's not the case (or at least, that's what the article wanted to highlight... And OF COURSE, you have to take it with a pinch of salt, because you'll always have one or two who are just bitter and who will NEVER be satisfied, no matter what atmosphere there is) Indeed teenagers are not always satisfied with... well, not with much in fact! But the school is for ALL kids, age 8 onwards, and that's an important point. At some stage in the article, it is mentioned that kids are not allowed to go outside of the building, speak to the person in charge of the dormitory, are forced to finish their plates, are not allowed to go on the internet... Well, all this to me is like putting them in a cage with a bit of bread and a glass of water (and NO noise allowed!) That's more than cruel, isn't it??
I agree that some discipline is required, but if kids have no opportunities to report their frustrations, cannot talk to anyone, are not allowed to cry (!!) or are not allowed to 'let go' a bit, what are they going to become? Great dancers... That's for sure, but at what price?
Actually, I had to edit my post, because in my last sentence, I said 'great dancers'... Well, my mistake, you CAN'T be a great dancer if you're unhappy, you'll just be a dancing machine. Technically impecable, but artistically lifeless. :eek: