Some teachers reach a point of exasperation with an unruly class where they say something like “You’re wasting my time, and Miss X’s. Your behaviour is an insult to her beautiful music”. They probably mean well, and perhaps intend it as a compliment to the pianist – but it’s actually excruciating to be put in this position if you’re the one at the piano, so try to avoid this tactic at all costs.
For one thing, it focuses the entire class’s attention on the pianist, which is uncomfortable and embarrassing. It also forces the pianist to agree with you publicly in a situation where it would be unprofessional for them to say what they really think (and personally, I’ve never, ever agreed with a teacher who’s said that a class is wasting my time – for one thing, I’m getting paid, so it makes no difference to me if the dancers do class, or make paper aeroplanes and sing Oasis hits for an hour and a half – I was booked to be there anyway).
But more crucially, it undermines the role of the pianist, which is not to support you in a community policing project, but – at least in the best of times – to support and play with the dancers as equal collaborators and partners in this wonderful art form. If that’s the kind of pianist you want (and it’s probably the kind you would have wanted as a dancer) you have to be very careful not to turn the dancers and pianist against each other for the sake of a bit of peace and quiet.
I totally agree! I had the pleasure of meeting you online yesterday, and now I ´ m delighted to discover this wonderful website. Sharing so generously your vast experience as a ballet pianist is not only very helpful but also highly therapeutic for other ballet pianists like myself. In my opinion, the hardest part of this profession is how to deal with all kinds of embarrassing situations as the one you have mentioned here. I ´ m sure each one of us could tell embarrassing and even surreal anecdotes during the class, where the pianist, who is concentrated and trying to do their best, suddenly becomes the focus of attention when the teacher ask for their opinion about how well or not so well are the students doing the exercises or even about their behaviour during the class. Thank you.
Hi Alicia, thanks so much for your comment, and for being there yesterday. Sharing experiences is therapeutic for me too. And yes, these are horrible moments in class!