Keep Improving AFTER Your Summer Intensive | How to Maintain Your Hard Work! | Kathryn Morgan

I think everyone knows how to make the most out of a ballet summer intensive... but how do you keep going after that? How do you maintain that level of dancing? Today, I offer you my tips! You have to push yourself and be mentally focused, but you absolutely can keep improving!

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Kathryn Morgan
PO Box 65961
Salt Lake City, UT 84165
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Hi I'm Kathryn!

I am a former soloist with the New York City Ballet and Miami City Ballet. When I was a young student, I was always looking for insights into the ballet world and how to improve my dancing as well as beauty and lifestyle tips. Now that I am a professional, it is my turn to share.
On my channel I make ballet, beauty, and lifestyle videos for everyone of all ages. My goal is help dancers improve and achieve their dreams as well as open up the ballet world to non dancers. Let's bring the joy back to ballet! You will see many different kinds of videos here including ballet classes, workouts, Q and A sessions, life advice, performances, beauty tutorials, technique tips, and more. I hope you find all of my videos helpful!
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[petrahutzen]

As an adult dancer, my biggest advice is, to keep the stamina level. If you can't take dance classes, go running or for a long walk - this you could do everywhere.

[pinkcupcake]

I definitely second keeping track of your compliments, especially if you struggle with confidence!

I'm brand new to dancing, and a few weeks into the class my instructor complimented me on my feet and ankles. You KNOW I will be carrying "I have pretty ballet feet" with me for the rest of my days. Every dancer should have that little boost of encouragement available to them!

[lauramatalebot]

For pointe! In my old studio, the more advanced dancers would attend the classes of the level below them in pointe shoes, gives you extra classes if you're in a small studio and extra pointe

[petermarchi]

I have never taken a Ballet Class, but I have taken Martial arts most of my life, (Very Similar) and I will say this, having seen Kathryn's coaching videos (There are good Dancers and there are good teachers, but every so often someone comes along that are both.) Kathryn Morgan strikes me as both a good dancer and a good teacher!!!

[tammygant]

Wow!! I needed this. I'm an adult dancer (4 years and counting) and I treated myself to two summer intensives this summer. I got much benefit from them and I wish I had seen this earlier BUT I'm going to sit down now and try to recall my corrections. And besides, there are so many great tips here to apply to my regular classes! I have been trying to figure out how to take notes and make a game plan PLUS I have a couple of old planners sitting around so. .. . .this video was a gold mine for me! THANKS!!!

Bonus Tip for me: "That's irrelevant to you" So important for me as an adult dancer in a room of teens to remember as they kick to the ceiling and bend like rubber :D

[Rosalie_xoxo]

I'm so grateful for your classes you put on here for us. Because of that, I was able to make up for so much lost time as someone who started ballet at 22. Even during this pandemic I doubled my ROM, got en pointe and am doing more advanced techniques that usually take longer to get to, and my turnout is much better. If you'd asked me 3 years ago if I'd be the ballet dancer I am today (and with the added challenge of the pandemic) I would have looked at you sideways like a dog listening to a high-pitched noise. Thank you for everything you do Kathryn, from your amazing (and challenging) classes to your heartfelt discussions on mental health. You encourage me to be better through more than just my dancing, and I hope that others feel the same.

[mirjamschaart]

I think keeping track of compliments is such great advice! As dancers we tend to focus on what we do wrong or what we need to improve on, but don't really take a moment to appreciate what we're good (or great!) at. And especially as a working dancer I notice at job interviews or in self-tapes for auditions they're often asking for your strengths: "why should we hire you?" And what better way to deliver the answer than with the upmost confidence, knowing and believing that your jumps for instance are really good. It's just as important to know what needs more focus as it is to know what you're good at. And that also counts for non-professional dancers of course!

[battery]

Happy birthday! (it's the same as my brother's which is kind of cool) would you ever consider doing a video on tips for taking class when you're really tired? Like at the end of a long day/week when your brain and body are not at your best but you still want to make the most of class.

[elizabethw.]

Kathryn mentions in an older video how she uses a planner. You can use a planner for goal setting as she describes in the video. I find the smaller space per day keeps me from feeling like I have to write too much. You can decorate the planner too! Academic year planners are out now. Back to school sales can make it affordable. Here's to a great training year everyone! <3

[andadance]

This is by far one of the best videos I’ve seen about dance, I loved every second, so many important things to take away. I’ve been really trying to figure out how to get better even though I’m not happy with my dance studio, I’ve been looking into summer intensives and I saw this video and it not only applies to summer intensive but just dance classes in general. It was so helpful and encouraging, I can’t believe there’s only 10k views, this deserves so much more, but I really appreciate all this information! ❤ your videos are amazing!

[swampwitchchic]

This is super helpful! I am starting the year round program of the summer intensive i attended, which luckily has the same teachers and about the same number of hours a day so I can keep up with and build on my summer training:)

[autisticdancer]

For me i definitely know my two main things i need to work on are turning out in turns (especially pirouettes) and keeping my back up in arabesque. I didn't start writing down my corrections until recently but now that I've started to do that it makes it easier to remember them if i write them down repeatedly. Like what Kathryn said in the video, i recommend doing it! Its really helpful! :)

[StarBe]

Love all these tips, especially the one about compliments! I haven't done any summer intensives, but one thing I try to do when I have a break from dancing or can't take as many classes as I normally do is to keep up my physicality in other ways. Yoga, Pilates, swimming, walking, etc. It's a good way to stay strong and train different muscle groups until I can get back in studio on a more regular basis. Also, Happy Birthday Katie! Hope you have a great day <3

[violetbleger]

Another thing that I’ve found helps me improve faster is to train at home. Even if it’s just 15 minutes of stretch/strength exercises, I find committing to it 5-7 times a week really helps. You can use platforms like Coach Me World for specific technique exercises that help SO MUCH. Hope this helps!

[cece]

Great advice, so happy to have more of your videos on youtube!

[esstown]

It would be so wonderful if some of the next barres that you do would be shown in pointe shoes. You did one very lovely one a long time ago.

[yael]

I wouldn't know if this is true for ballet but this tip works for math - don't be afraid to challenge yourself. There's only so much you can learn at a certain level so even if you question yourself, go to the next level, try it, learn... You'll see that when you go back to what you were struggling with earlier you have new insight into it. I'm wondering how much math and dance have in common (p.s. I'm a math professor but a novice in dance...)

[mhyndes]

Congratulations Kathryn! Thank you for this video!

[katrinem]

Thank you for the video and happy birthday, Katie! May this next year bring you lovely experiences and endless happiness 🥳🌼💛

[evakelly]

One tip that helps me is especially when you’re dancing so many hours a day, try to have variety in your day. Do something completely different from dance like self care, going to a movie, reading etc. Just to keep your brain refreshed and recharged for the next day or next week. Hope this helps! 💕