Faculty Spotlight: Rachel Caldwell

As we continue to celebrate BBT's 40th Anniversary, we are delighted to share thoughts and memories from the generations of BBT faculty members, current and past.

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I arrived at BBT in February of 2018. My good friend and colleague Julie Crothers, a fellow Pre-Ballet teacher at BBT, told me that they were seeking another teacher for the Pre-Ballet Division. I had just moved to Berkeley from New York City in the Fall of 2017, so I was eager to start teaching dance again and immerse myself in a local community. I connected with BBT’s School Director Liz Farotte Heenan, taught a trial class, and the rest is history!

Since joining the BBT community, I have been firmly rooted in the Pre-Ballet Division. I have taught Pre-Ballet for dancers ages 3 to 7, and the “We Dance Together” class for BBT’s youngest dancers alongside their parents. I also taught a little dance history at one of BBT’s youth summer camps in 2019.

At the foundation of my Pre-Ballet classes is a strong emphasis on creative movement. My influences include my graduate school pedagogy teacher Patricia Reedy (co-founder of Luna Dance Institute in Berkeley), former BBT Pre-Ballet teacher Marie Morrow Wright, Creative Dance Center founder Anne Green Gilbert’s creative dance curriculum, and my childhood dance teacher Amy Blake, whose classes I started assisting with at age 11.

I aim to teach ballet concepts alongside the fundamental elements of dance through a mix of imagery, movement games, and exercises. Ritual is very important to me, so I structure my classes in a way that students can remember and repeat from week to week while still allowing space for expansion on the concepts. I believe in seeing and honoring individuality in young children, so whenever possible, I provide moments where students can share their thoughts, ideas and demonstrate their creativity and skills. I also believe children learn a lot from one another, so in pre-Covid times I incorporated a lot of partner and group activities into my classes.

BBT is one of the only ballet organizations I’ve encountered that supports and celebrates non-traditional gender roles in ballet. Students can wear the uniform they’re most comfortable with and choose the men’s or women’s syllabus regardless of the sex they were assigned at birth. They’re able to learn the historical context of ballet yet follow the path that most resonates with them. That’s huge! I’m encouraged to see this kind of progress in a ballet-based organization.

I don’t have just one favorite memory, but every time I see a student have one of those lightbulb moments about a new step or concept, have fun using their imagination in collaboration with others, or even just when a student gives me a big hug at the end of class, it’s a real highlight. I really love seeing the joy that dance brings to children and families in the community.

Covid-19 threw all of us a huge curveball, but it has been really heartening to see the community rally to find a way to keep dancing and keep arts organizations in the Bay Area alive. From online to outdoor classes, we have persisted. Keep dancing! I look forward to seeing everyone back in the studio eventually!

Faculty Spotlight, InterviewRobin DekkersMarch 18, 2021