"Dancers are the athletes of God
- Albert Einstein

"Class has to be very intense, difficult, and structured. Combinations have to be constantly challenging. Dancers learn to do choreography by being given steps in class. And musicality is extremely important. However, being “musical” doesn’t mean always being on the beat. It means being able to dance with, through, alongside, and sometimes even off the rhythm."

 

"Young dancers have to remember that it is more important to have good quality of movement than incredible technique. Technique will come."

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 "I was a dancer for 20 years and learned always to be polite and friendly. When dancers are tense, they can’t work properly. They must be relaxed to receive information and direction. I am working to provide a profession for my students. At the same time, I must be distant. Teachers can make so much difference, but they are still not parents.

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Also, teaching is a mutual venture. Teachers are teaching, students are learning. We cannot do the actual work for students. They have to be responsible for themselves. Students must be focused on their work and not be afraid of their teachers, and yet always respectful. I had a student once—Joseph Phillips—who arrived for class early, left late, and was in the studio working at every available moment. Now he is in San Francisco Ballet. Dancing, for him, became almost as important as religion."​

 

- Stanislav Issaev (teacher of Joseph Phillips)

DANCE Magazine Article: Teacher's Wisdom: Stanislav Isaaev