Interview | Paul Boyd
Esteemed teacher Paul Boyd (Queensland Ballet Academy) will be joining our International Summer School in January 2018. As part of our interview series, we asked each of our faculty members about their values and experience as a teacher.
What do you feel have been your strengths as a teacher?
I think my strengths as a teacher at ISS have been the attention to finer details of the student’s work in the classes. It is important to make students realise that musicality is an incredibly vital aspect of a dancer’s training; the finer detail to lower leg articulation; expressive but correct port de bra etc; making them aware of their instrument to not just do but to feel their bodies.
Another strength would be Pas de deux and the male’s role in this area. I see many young men with a lack of knowledge in partnering so I feel this is a strength of my teaching and I enjoy passing this on. Also, male teaching and making young men aware of the requirements of the male technique is important. Choreography is another, and being able to hopefully bring a versatile element to ISS as a choreographer is a strength that I hope to bring as well.
What do you feel are your core values as a teacheR?
My core values as a teacher are bringing a discipline to the studio, being honest with my instructions and comments, but at the same time letting the students know that I care about them as young people and their futures.
What age groups and styles do you feel most benefit from your worK?
I feel that the older age groups benefit more from my tuition. I believe that there are teachers that are truly gifted with teaching younger people. I think due to the ‘fine tuning’ of teaching that I can pass on, the older age groups can benefit more from that level of tuition.
Find out more about International School School here.
#ISS2018
January 9-19 2018
