While pirouettes and grand jetés may not get a porter to your room any faster, a little basic ballet training might improve their grace upon arrival. At least that’s what JW Marriott is hoping will come of a new employee training program it has developed in partnership with the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago.
The hotel’s Poise and Grace Program is a series of video tutorials led by the Joffrey’s artistic director, Ashley Wheater. In them, Mr. Wheater demonstrates core movements and mind-sets practiced by professional dancers in order to achieve the seamless flow of a ballet sequence.
The training focuses on four areas: warming up the body, proper breathing techniques, the flow of movement and a connection with the audience. In essence, to think and act as if they were on stage- or perhaps in a Wes Anderson film.
“In ballet, we learn to foster self-confidence and to make a genuine connection with those around us, which are crucial skills for anyone in hospitality,” Mr. Wheater said in an email. “Through proper technique and practice, those elements become second nature so that each person in the hotel has the foundation to approach guest interactions in a thoughtful and fluid way.”
The exercises take between five and 15 minutes to perform, teaching posture, eye contact and proper breathing. They are meant to be an inspirational tool to any employee, no matter their job, Mitzi Gaskins, the global brand manager of JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, said.
“It’s remarkable how seamlessly the mannerisms that come so naturally to trained dancers translate from the stage to the hotel floor,” she said.
A previous version of this post incorrectly said that the Joffrey Ballet is in New York.