Angela Asiimire
26 August 2008
interview
Kampala — KRISTINA Johnstone is a dance instructor at the Kampala Ballet School. She spoke to Angela Asiimire
QUESTION: Who is Kristina?
ANWER: I was born and raised in Belgium. After high school, I moved to South Africa (My father is South African) and studied dance training. While at school, I majored in contemporary dance. Ballet training was part of the programme.
How did you get this job?
Jill Pribyl, a lecturer at the Makerere University Music, Dance and Drama department, is good friends with my lecturer at the University of Cape Town, so she asked her if there were any students who wanted to teach. My lecturer told me about it. When I applied, I got the job.
How long have you taught at the school?
I started in January 2007 and my contract was for one year, but I decided to stay on a little more.
Are you the lead dance instructor?
No, we are actually four teachers - two males and two females. We work as a team so I cannot say that there is a lead dancer.
What changes have you seen in the two years you have taught at the school?
When I arrived, the kids were mixed up. Older kids were doing simple tasks, the same as much younger ones; so I tried to make sure that the kids in each age group did what was required of them.
I have seen very few boys around, why?
Parents have this idea that ballet was meant for girls. This is a misconception because a boy who is talented in this form of dance can market himself locally and internationally. There are usually many scholarships provided by foreign dance schools for skilled performers and such a boy would stand a very good chance of being taken up.
Are girls better skilled at ballet than boys?
Not exactly. It is just that there is different training for the boys and the girls. Boys take longer to learn coordination; though the difference in skill is not so big. When they are older, girls need to work on their ankles, while boys have to work on their backs and making long jumps. The biggest problem is that most of the boys drop out when they get older because of peer pressure.
Princess Ssangalyambogo is a pupil here. Does she get preferential treatment?
Not at all, she dances with her colleagues. So if you came here and watched a regular practice session, you would not tell her apart from the other kids.
What are the joys of being a teacher?
It is not easy to teach young children so when you teach them something new, the one time they do it right makes you happy.
Any challenges?
You have to do a lot of persuasion for parents to send their kids for classes. Learning to be a very good dancer takes years but parents expect their kids to be on point in a day or less. Some parents get frustrated when their children are not perfect after a few months and this is often hard on the children.
How many pupils do you have in total?
We have just over 300 but they're divided into two: those who register privately with their parents (extended programme) and those who are brought by their schools.
How many students are in a class?
It depends. Sometimes 20 or more but my ideal class would be one of 8-15 kids.
Is ballet instructing a well-paying job?
It is not easy to make a living in any form of dance. It takes dedication, passion and interest. It also involves a lot of creativity.
The best thing about it is it's not like a desk job. There are many other opportunities that often arise. For example, you can be called to take a role in a musical or a play and you make extra money on the side.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 New Vision. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
