INTRO TO

TEACHING
WITH
NICHOLAS PALMQUIST

W W W . D A N C E - M A S T E R C L A S S . C O M
 Table of
CONTENTS
03 MEET THE MASTER 25 ACTIVITY: 4 STEPS FOR
A short introduction to Nicholas SETTING YOUR GOAL
Palmquist and his views on dance Use Nicholas’ formula to help set
and learning logical goals for your dance classes

04 “EMOTIONAL ERGONOMICS” 27 PACING YOUR CLASS

EXPLAINED Practical tips to help you with time
Understand how simple choices can management and class planning
change the mood of your entire class
29 2 WAYS TO FACILITATE
09 WHAT MAKES UP A DANCE CLASS? FEEDBACK
Breaking down the elements of any Nicholas’ advice for how to use
dance class and how you can use feedback both during and after a
them to enhance your learning dance class
environment

30 3 GO-TO FEEDBACK PROMPTS

16 DEFINING SUCCESS Universal prompts to use for any
Nicholas shares what ‘success’ dance class
means to him and how you can find
your definition of it
31 ACTIVITY: HOW TO USE
EMOTIONAL ERGONOMICS
17 ACTIVITY: WHAT DOES
SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU? A simple worksheet for how you can
apply the concepts of this class to
A guide for how to define and adapt your own teaching style
your own idea of success

33 ACTIVITY: QUIZ
20 WHAT IS A “NEUTRAL DANCE
Test your knowledge of the
ENVIRONMENT”?
concepts you learned in this class
Learn what it means to neutralize a
dance class and how to do it in 4
simple steps

24 SETTING GOALS &

EXPECTATIONS
Learn Nicholas’ approach for how
to work toward your dance goals
and adapt when needed
02
 MEET THE MASTER:
Nicholas Palmquist
Born and raised in the US, He quickly gained old-fashioned dance class.
Nicholas got his traction as one of the Whatever he was doing, he
professional footing in New most sought after was doing something right.
York City as a dancer and dance teachers in NYC.
performer. His hard work After a few years of
had led him to a life on With sold out classes at gaining experience and
stage, on TV and film, and high profile studios such finding his personal
in the studio - any aspiring as Broadway Dance teaching identity in the
dancer's dream. But, for Center and Steps on states, Nicholas made the
Nicholas, there was still Broadway, dancers move to Europe where he
something missing. flocked to him to feel continued to explore his
good in a class, to teaching possibilities. Much
He began teaching early perform fun and like in New York, European
on in his career in addition interesting dancers came out of the
to performing - it was then choreography, to train or woodwork to take his
that things started to really to simply participate in classes. He began
make sense. the ritual of a good, teaching all over Europe
and finally settled in
Germany where he
“It is through the is now based.
art of teaching
that I found His goal is to
relationship with spread joy through
my dancing body.” his love of dance
and to reach as many
dancers as possible who
Teaching went from
are interested in his style
being his ‘other job,’ to
of movement and
his main career - his
learning.
passion.

03
 “EMOTIONAL
ERGONOMICS”
EXPLAINED
The “perfect learning environment,” will
look different for each and every dancer
so how can you create the best possible
setting for your students as a teacher?

This brings us to emotional ergonomics, a

term Nicholas uses to describe what he
considers to be one of the most important
aspects of a dance class. But what does it
actually mean? Let’s zoom out for a
moment to get a clear view of his
perspective.

Pro Tip!:
What is Emotional Think of it as arranging your
Ergonomics? emotional "workspace"
just like you would arrange your
desk for maximum productivity.
“Emo Ergo,” as Nicholas refers to it, is a
concept that focuses on optimizing the
emotional well-being and comfort of
people in various aspects of their lives,
whether it's in the workplace, while using
technology, or even in a dance class.

It's all about creating an environment that

allows you to express and manage your
emotions effectively and comfortably.
04
05
EMO ERGO
FOR DANCERS
In the context of dancers, emotional ergonomics
means creating an emotional environment
where you feel at ease, allowing you to express
your emotions through your movements in an
authentic way.

It emphasizes the importance of emotional well-

being as a crucial element in the art of dance,
helping dancers to connect with their movements
on a deeper level and enhance their overall
performance.

Top 5 Elements of Emo Ergo

in a Dance Class:
Dimension of your room or studio
Lighting and sound equipment
Inclusion of warm up or cool down exercises
Duration of class
Accessibility for students
As a dance teacher...

you have the power to create a positive

and uplifting atmosphere in your class by
making simple choices that can change the
mood of your students.

For example: You can play music that

creates a happy and energetic vibe, or you
can use positive and encouraging language
when giving feedback to your students.

By being mindful of emotional ergonomics

in your dance class, you can create a space
where students feel supported, inspired,
and motivated to do their best.

06
07
Why is Emo Ergo
So Important in
a Dance Class?

Understanding emotional
ergonomics can help you
identify and address any
potential sources of negativity
or discomfort within your dance
class.

For instance, if a student is

feeling anxious or stressed, you
can adjust your teaching method
or provide additional support to
help them feel more comfortable
and relaxed.

By considering emotional
ergonomics, you can create a
dance class that both:

helps students improve

their technique and skill AND

fosters a positive and

enjoyable learning
experience.

08
 WHAT MAKES
UP A DANCE
CLASS?

While you can break a dance class down into many intricate elements,
there are 4 fundamental parts of a class experience that you want to
keep in mind when it comes to building an environment for success:

People

Space
Mood

Curriculum

09
 Here’s a deeper look at how these 4 elements make up a dance class:

1
People:
Who is in the room?

At the very core of any dance class are the people. This
usually includes the teacher and the students.

The Students: The Teacher:

learn, practice and provides clear instructions
improve their skills
demonstrates movements (either by
themselves or through the use of a
trusted assistant)

offers corrections and feedback to

help students improve

10
2
Space:
Where is your class
taking place?

For this, there are several factors you’ll want to consider:

Studio Size
Dance Floor
Mirrors
Lighting and Sound Equipment
Barres
Online Classes

11
Studio Size:
The size of your space affects
movement possibilities as well as the
emotions in the room.

Finding the right balance of space and

the amount of people in it is vital to
designing an emotionally comfortable
environment for you and your students.

Dance Floor:
The type of floor you are dancing on
not only impacts safety, but also ease
of movement.

It’s true that Marley or sprung floors

provide support and reduce the risk of
injuries, but sometimes this isn’t the
only thing to consider.

If you are not dancing in a studio, but

in an outdoor space or a room with a
different texture of flooring (like
concrete, carpet or wood), you’ll want
to assess how easy it is to move
around on that floor. Take this into
consideration when creating your
Mirrors: dance environment.
Mirrors help students to self-correct
and can be a great tool in a dance
class when it comes to learning
technique.

But, when it comes to emotions,

mirrors can hinder your students’
ability to learn to their fullest
potential, causing them to compare
themselves to the other dancers
around them.

It’s important to reinforce the

purpose of the mirrors as a tool for
your students to assess their positions
rather than compare their bodies to
other bodies in the room.

12
 Lighting and Sound Equipment:
Lighting sets the mood and ambiance, while
sound equipment enhances the experience
through music.

It’s important that these two elements

balance each other out and that you don’t
make any jarring changes to these two
sensory aspects of the space as it can pull
your students out of focus or cause
emotional discomfort.

Barres:
Barres offer support for certain exercises
and help improve balance and posture.

But, in the case of ballet classes, it is best

to encourage your students to not rely on
the barre, but to use it for support.

This will not only grow their physical

strength and coordination, but also their
confidence and level of comfort in a
ballet class.

Online Classes:
For many students, online classes open up
a world of opportunities for remote
learning. However, the physical space
becomes the responsibility of the
student.

If you are teaching or learning online, be

sure to consider the ergonomic aspect
your space before beginning a class.

13
3
Mood:
What is the tone of your class?

The tone of the room is often initiated by the teacher,

but the students play a big role in establishing the mood
of a class, too.

SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO

TO CREATE A GOOD
MOOD IN YOUR CLASSES?

Pay attention to the energy level of your students and how they are feeling. When
your students feel seen, they are more likely to respond to your teaching.

More so, a positive and supportive environment can help students feel more
comfortable and confident, leading to better learning outcomes.

14
 4
Curriculum:

What will you teach?

Finally, the curriculum and class content - so, what you actually plan to teach - is
one of the absolute most important elements of any dance class.

Clear learning goals and prepared material can help students understand what they
are working towards and stay focused throughout the class.

What can you prepare?: By breaking down these elements

Warm-up exercises of a dance class, you can create a
Technical training more effective and enjoyable
Choreography dance class for everyone involved.
Feedback sessions

15
DEFINING
SUCCESS
To Nicholas, “success is less of a thing and
more of an adjective that describes his
approach to finding balance and harmony.”

What this means is that success is not

something you achieve once in your life, but
rather a way of viewing your progress as a
dancer or a dance teacher.

Other ways to define success include:

Achieving personal goals

Creating meaningful relationships
Contributing to something greater than
yourself

It's important to understand that success can

mean different things to different people and
that there is no one-size-fits-all definition of it.

It's up to each of your students to determine

what success means to them and to strive
towards that definition in their own unique
way.

16
ACTIVITY:
WHAT DOES SUCCESS
MEAN TO YOU?
Success means different things to different dancers. It can be
defined as achieving a goal, reaching a certain level of
technique, or finding happiness in what you do in a dance
class.

To define your own idea of success, start by asking yourself:

What makes you happy in a dance class?

What fulfills you as a dancers or a teacher?
What you want to achieve in this class?

You can use this information to find your own working

definition of success.

17
 WHEEL OF

SUCCESS
The wheel of success is a great tool that helps you better understand what is
most important to you in your definition of success as a dancer.

Think about the 8 categories below, and rate them from 1 - 10 based on how
relevant they are to your personal definition of success.

Remember, these are not the only factors to consider, but they can help to
guide you toward finding your own version of success in a dance class.

RO WTH PHYS
ICA
G LH
N AL
EA
SO LT
R
E
P

H
M
UE

EN
IQ

TA
HN

LH
TEC

EAL
TH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
NCE

NET
A

W
RM

OR
FO

KI
ER

G N
P

ON I JO
SS PA Y

18
“Comparison is
the thief of joy.”

19
WHAT IS A
“NEUTRAL DANCE
ENVIRONMENT”?

Simply put, a neutral dance environment is one that allows your

students to experience a dance class on an emotionally personal
level without being influenced by your perspective as the teacher.

Your job is to give them the space to express themselves through

dance and guide them toward their specific goals or the goals
you have for the class as a whole.

To do this, there are 4 steps to keep in mind:

Step 1: Use neutral language

Step 2: Let go of judgement
Step 3: Work to understand your role
Step 4: Consider the physical and sensory aspects of your space

Next, we’ll take a deeper look at each of these steps and how you
can use them in a dance class.

20
Step 1:
Use neutral language
Talk about emotions: be sure to talk about
emotions in dance in way that doesn’t project your
personal feelings onto your students’ experience.

Address the movement, not the body: to guide

your students on a technical level, try to talk about
the quality of their movement rather than their
actual body. This allows all the other dancers in
the room to benefit from the correction or
statement you are making.

Example:

DON’T SAY: You have a beautiful arabesque.

DO SAY: The lines of your arabesque are

beautiful and well extended.

Step 2:
Let go of judgement
Encourage your students to stay
focused on the present

Why?
If they start to compare themselves
to a past or future version of
themselves or to each other, it can
limit their creativity.

21
Step 3:
Work to understand
your role
Whether you are a teacher or a student, it is
important to know what is expected of you in a
dance class.

Not only does this keep you focused on your

goals, but it also contributes to maintaining a
neutral environment for everyone in the room.

Role of teacher: to inspire, guide and teach

Role of student: to attend class with an

open mind and encourage themselves to
work toward their own personal definition of
success

Step 4:
Consider the physical
and sensory aspects of
your space
As you’ve already learned, the space of a dance
class makes up a huge part of the ergonomic
environment you design.

This comes down to the size of the room are in,

your lighting and sound equipment and the
location of your space.

Believe it or not, all of this can have an emotional

affect on your students’ class experience. There are
2 ways you can integrate this into your teaching
right away:

Make sure the music is emotionally relevant

throughout the class

Avoid turning the music or lights on or off too

abruptly

22
23
SETTING GOALS &
EXPECTATIONS
According to Nicholas, “Disappointment can be
described as an unmet expectation.” One way to
prevent future disappointment is to start with a
more informed goal...but, what does this actually
mean?

For all of your classes, it helps to set a goal

beforehand. Even if it is unrealistic, this will help
to guide future goals, expectations and the
emotional ergonomics of your classes.

Point blank, if you do not set a goal, there is no

way to track your progress.

There are 2 ways you can apply this to your

dance class:

1 Start with an informed goal or expectation

To do this, ask yourself, “What is my goal

as either the teacher or student?”

Consider: What are the contributing

factors that led me to that goal?

Is it therefore logical or realistic to

achieve this goal within this class?

2 As new information is coming in through

your experiences, adjust your expectations
and be flexible

24
 ACTIVITY:
4 STEPS FOR SETTING
YOUR GOAL
Use the following formula for how to set a goal for your next dance class:

Consider the factors that are going to affect your goal:

1 What do you already know about the space or class
participants?

2 Write down one clear goal you have for this class.

Think of 3 contributing factors that helped you to logically

3 arrive at this goal. This validates your goal and helps you
to understand your process.

Build a lesson plan to support this goal. This means that

4 every part of your class, from a warm up to choreography
is in service of your goal. Your goal is your motivation.

Remember!:
Success is not a one
time achievement, but
rather a state of
balance and harmony
that requires constant
adjustment and
adaptation.

25
26
PACING YOUR CLASS
The most obvious application of emotional ergonomics as a dance
teacher is in your time management. How you pace your speech and
the information you want to share has an immediate affect on your
students’ experience and can cause them to either thrive or fall behind
in your classes.

Here are 2 aspects to consider that can help you to optimize your
teaching pace right away.

How to pace your speech: How to pace your information:

If you speak too slow or fast, it If you present too much info
has an impact on how other at a time, you risk:
people receive the information
you are sharing. Overwhelming your
students
Too fast: A lack of depth in your
Risk of overwhelming examples
your students Deterring your students
Students feel pressure to from asking question
learn as fast as you are because they don’t want to
speaking disturb your pace
Stresses you out

Too slow: If you present the information too

You can lose your train of slowly, you risk:
thought
Students can become Students feeling uninspired
bored A drop in energy
Can decrease physical A decrease in motivation due
engagement which can to students feeling patronized
lower motivation or underestimated

27
WHAT IS A DIALOGUE
METRONOME?
A steady and neutral flow of speech and information
throughout the duration of your class.

HOW CAN YOU

INCORPORATE IT
INTO YOUR CLASSES?
The way you introduce yourself
The description and flow of your warm up
The instruction of movement
Feedback during or after class

28
 2 WAYS TO FACILITATE
FEEDBACK

Feedback is imperative to your working

definition of success and will give you
information for how to set the emotional
ergonomics for future classes.

For feedback, there are 2 types of

questions you can be asking:
Ideal for during class!

Rhetorical questions:
1 This involves prompting students
with questions that don't really
require an answer from them. The
goal is to prompt them to ask their
own questions and stimulate their
curiosity and creativity.

Direct questions:
2 This involves asking questions that
you want a real answer to. You can
use your students’ answers to help
inform goals and expectations for
future classes.

Ideal for after class!

29
 3 GO-TO
FEEDBACK
PROMPTS
Asking questions is a huge part of Nicholas’ teaching
style, here he shares a few of his ‘go-to’ prompts that
you can implement in your own classes:

1 What is your current relationship with dance?

Did you have expectations for how class was

2 going to go today? Is there anything you would

like to share about meeting or adjusting that
expectation?

3 What challenged you today?

30
ACTIVITY:
HOW TO USE EMOTIONAL
ERGONOMICS
Complete this activity on a regular basis to assess the ergonomic design of
your class.

Consider each of the following 7 aspect of your class and keep your
answers in a notebook to help you set up future classes.

People:
Who is in your class either in person or virtually
(in the case of online classes)?
What is the average age of your students? What
skill level accurately describes this class?

Space:
Does your space feel too large or too small in
comparison to the size of your class? If so, is it
possible to change spaces for your next class to
enhance the emotional ergonomics of your dance
space?
Can you and your students safely dance on the
floor in your space?
Is the sound and lighting equipment usable and
how can it potentially affect your student’s
emotionally?

Mood:
What is the general mood of your class
participants?
What do you think caused this mood?

31
Curriculum:
Was your planned learning content too hard or too easy
for the students in this class?
Did your learning content build on previously learned
material?

Duration of class:
How long was your class meant to be?
How well did your planned learning content fit into that
time frame?

Time management:
How successful did you feel in your pace speech?
What about the pace of your information?
How could you improve on your time management as a
teacher?

Feedback:
How successful did you feel in your ability to incorporate
rhetorical questions during your class?
Were you able to get valuable feedback after class? If
yes, what was that feedback and how can you use it to
improve the ergonomics of your next class?

Pro Tip!:
Another way to apply the
concepts of this class is to
observe other teachers in
action. Take some time to watch
other dance educators in your
area and see how they apply
concepts of emotional
ergonomics.

32
 QUIZ
Test your knowledge of the
concepts you learned in this class
by taking >>> THIS QUIZ

33
THANK YOU

34