By PHILIP WINTERSTEIN, Staff Reporter.
Among the many classes in the Lifelong Wellness section, unique classes such as Fencing I and BOSU Ball Training have gained a crowd of students that continue to ask for extensions of those classes. Likewise, Delta’s Ballet I is no exception.
Sandra Black of Midland has taught Ballet 1 at Delta College as an adjunct for the past 26 years. Black received her Bachelor’s of Science in Dance Education at Wayne State University. She also has a dance studio called the Dean/Black School of Performing Arts located in Midland, Mich.
Black explained that students studying music might recognize her since she was also a jazz teacher at Delta as well, which she taught on and off over the duration of her employment.
However, more recently, she has focused on teaching ballet. Only one ballet class is offered at Delta, so Black tries to instill as much information as possible.
“[Ballet I] is jam-packed,” Black said. “I try to teach my students the introductory fully. We work on our flexibility and core strength, and we study and practice dance techniques and terminology.”
The class, which holds a maximum of 20 students, meets once a week for two hours each semester. The layout of the class is an hour of barre (a rail dancers use for balance and leg strengthening) exercises while the other half of the class involves “center floor” exercises where dancers perform what they learned from their work with the barre. They dance to classical music.
“Ballet is different, but it is a great exercise that I would encourage all students to give a shot,” Black stated. “It is a wonderful form of exercise and it’s a great class for anybody that’s serious in dance.”
She explained that Ballet was a Fall/Winter semester class, but will soon be changing to a Fall-only class. A second ballet course, that many students have asked about, according to Black, existed only for a little while. However, Ballet II was held at the same time and was taught along with Ballet I, and was later cut.
Black still teaches ballet in and outside of Delta College, encouraging students and dancers in the community to join her in her courses as well as her studio.
“Students who enroll in Ballet I will get a bang-for-their-buck for a great form of exercise,” Black stated. “Like a musical instrument, ballet is a hands-on activity. If you put the work into it, it will give back.”
For more information on Ballet I, contact Sandra Black at sandrablack@delta.edu. For more information on the Dean/Black School of Performing Arts, located at 212 Northgate, Midland, contact their business number at 989-631-8489 or visit their website at www.deanblack.com.