Over at dance.net, there’s a really interesting reply to my post about my frustrations in learning ballet choreography. The poster’s basic point is that learning choreography the ballet way, although harder and extremely frustrating, is actually a really effective way to give us that “ballet brain,” i.e., learning how to pick up choreo right away. She cites her own experience and observations as examples.
Despite the fact that I was the original ranter, I actually see her point. I’m in two beginner classes and one intermediate class. In the beginning, I had the hardest time remembering even the simplest of barre combinations, never mind center work. Now it’s a breeze, at least for my beginner classes. Why is that? I credit it all to my intermediate class. In that class, the combos are way complicated and long. My teacher does cue the moves for us, but remembering the combo frees up a part of my brain and allows me to actually add some flavor to the movement (better epaulemént and port de bras come to mind). I’ve gotten better in remembering them, but I still struggle. However, as a result, I now find the simple combos in beginner class very easy to remember.
Training your brain this way seems similar to how basketball players practice with a smaller hoop or soccer players practice with a smaller goal. They train their brain to be more accurate with their shots. Forcing myself to remember harder combos makes it easier to remember the easy ones. For once, I’m glad to be wrong. There is something to be said for how ballet class is structured, which, come to think of it, they’ve been doing for many, many, many years now. So they must be doing something right! 
