Correction That Connects vs. Correction That Weighs You Down
You didn’t come to ballet class for gold stars. You came for information.
Praise is nice, but correction? Correction is proof that someone sees you. That someone is paying attention to you. When a teacher really corrects—not a passing “nice job,” but a specific, thoughtful adjustment—it can feel like they’re saying:
I see you. You’re in this room with me. You matter here.
Correction can feel intimate. It’s specific. It’s engaged. It tells you there’s somewhere meaningful to go. And yet, sometimes that same correction can feel uncomfortable, exposing, or even heavy. Both of these things can be true at once—and that’s okay.
Praise Is Pleasant, But Correction Gives You Direction
“Beautiful” is nice. But “pull up through the standing leg and soften your shoulders” tells you something you can act on.
You’re wired to learn by cause and effect. You want to know:
what’s happening
why it’s happening
and how to adjust
Correction gives you a narrative: you are here, and you could be there.
Praise? It freezes the moment. It doesn’t move you forward, even if it feels good in the moment.
You’ve Been Trained to Improve—and That Shapes How You Receive Feedback
Many adult ballet dancers are former high achievers, recovering perfectionists, or people who learned early that effort equals worth. Correction fits neatly into that wiring. It gives you something concrete to do.
Praise, by contrast, can feel unstable. Like it could disappear at any moment. Correction feels reliable. It says: you’re still teachable. You’re still becoming.
Silence Can Feel Ominous
In adult classes, silence can feel like being written off:
maybe the teacher thinks you won’t get it
maybe you’re blending into the back row
maybe your body has been quietly categorized as “not worth adjusting”
So when correction arrives, it can feel like a small rescue: you’re visible. You’re still growing.
But Correction Can Also Feel Heavy
You bring your whole life into class—your injuries, past training, and history with authority or feedback. Correction doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
When correction is public, repeated, or delivered without context or consent, it can start to feel less like intimacy and more like scrutiny. What once felt like I see you can begin to feel like you’re under a microscope.
Sometimes you even crave that correction because it confirms that you’re never done, keeps the inner critic busy, or postpones satisfaction indefinitely. At that point, correction stops being nurturing and can feel like self-punishment disguised as discipline.
Learning to accept praise—especially praise that names real progress—can feel just as radical as learning to turn out.
How to Receive Correction in a Way That Serves You
You deserve correction that:
respects your autonomy
acknowledges your goals
allows boundaries
invites curiosity
You deserve praise that lands—praise that recognizes your progress rather than decorating it superficially.
The best classes give both: correction that sharpens, and praise that anchors. Not: “good job.” But: “Yes—that’s it. That’s the coordination we’ve been working toward.”
Becoming Over Being
You come back because correction promises depth over surface, becoming over being. It tells you: you’re not finished.
And that’s the point.
Correction can be powerful. It can be intimate. It can also feel heavy. Both experiences are part of growing as an adult dancer.
The key is knowing which corrections serve you, and which ones you can let go of.
Adult Ballet is above all about your journey, your body, your curiosity—and your courage to keep showing up.
3-Minute Mental Reset for Your Inner Critic after receiving a correction
Step 1: Pause and Breathe (30–60 seconds)
Take a gentle, full breath in through your nose.
Slowly exhale through your mouth.
Repeat twice.
Purpose: Creates a brief mental space between the correction and your automatic self-judgment.
Step 2: Name the Critic (30 seconds)
Silently acknowledge the voice in your head.
Example: “Ah, there’s my inner critic again, telling me I’m failing.”
Purpose: Naming the critic takes away its power and reminds you it’s just a voice, not reality.
Step 3: Reframe the Correction (60 seconds)
Take the teacher’s correction and turn it into neutral, actionable language.
Example: Instead of “I’m doing it wrong,” say: “This is a cue to explore my shoulders differently.”
Focus on what you can do next, not what went “wrong.”
Step 4: Anchor with What’s Going Well (30–60 seconds)
Pick one thing in your movement that feels good or correct.
Example: “My back leg is lifted beautifully” or “My alignment feels steady here.”
Purpose: Balances awareness of corrections with recognition of success.
Step 5: Return to Movement Mindfully
Re-engage with your exercise or combination, keeping the reframed focus.
Notice the difference in how your body responds when the critic is quieter.
Tip: Repeat this whenever correction triggers anxiety. Over time, your inner critic will stop hijacking your classes, and you’ll reclaim joy in every plie, tendu, and port de bras.
