Dance a life-long lesson

BY AMY SMITH

Kings County Register

To excel, dancers must have strength, discipline and talent.

To foster these qualities, a teacher of dance must possess all of these characteristics - in addition to an incredible knowledge of the human body and its powers of expression.

Kelly Pearl, owner of Dance ConXion in Berwick, is always seeking to improve her knowledge. She’s recently earned a certification with the British Association of Dance, placing her in the association’s second level as a “member.’

It wasn't easy.

Pearl worked once a week for months with her tutor, Joseph Wallin. She not only had to work on her own technique, flexibility and core strength, but the certification also requires an in-depth knowledge of anatomy and the association’s teachings methods. The preparation payed off, however, when Pearl took the intimidating exam.

An adjudicator flew from England to test her in a two-hour session.

“I thought as the exam went on I would get less nervous, but that wasn't the case!”

The one-on-one exam tested Pearl's technique and knowledge in jazz, modern and tap, as well as her knowledge of rhythms, limbering, strength building exercises and choreographing. The exam also tested her ability to conduct and spot faults in dancers.

The British Association's diploma is Pearl's second major distinction, amongst many smaller achievements. Five years ago, she was recognizes by the American Tap Dance Institute. For this diploma, Pearl had to look at a more academic side of dance and write several papers on the art form's history.

These two certifications have given Pearl different perspectives and methods of teaching, and they have also given herself and her students unimaginable resources, including access to dance workshops and events held by both organizations and a network of instructors.

Pearl is excited to share her new knowledge with her students, and to keep improving herself.

“I think it is so important for teachers to never stop updating their knowledge,” she says. “We can only educate our students on the material we gather.”