Curtain up.

We all remember our favorite teachers fondly-their tone of voice, the way they demonstrate, their corrections. That time in class with a teacher you trust is precious, and their insights and values go with you wherever you go.

For this issue, we asked 18 top dancers who their favorite teacher was or is, and what that person means to them. Four of them named Nancy Bielski, who teaches at Steps on Broadway (where stars like Julie Kent and Vladimir Malakhov drop in to take her class) and at American Ballet Theatre. They each had different reasons. Anna Laghezza got help for her jumps; Elizabeth Walker improved her adagio; Melissa Morrissey strengthened her pointe work; and Jenifer Ringer improved her placement. A good teacher helps where help is needed--and has the eye to see where the weak spots are.

At our photo session, I decided to see for myself what the Bielski magic was all about. I asked her to correct my port de bras, and she gave me a gentle litany of reminders: "Chin up, hips forward, ribs in, earring to the ceiling." This, I remembered, is the way teachers help us bring our thoughts into our bodies.

Talking about great teachers, Katherine Dunham passed away this spring (see "Transitions"). Of course, she was also a ground-breaking choreographer, anthropologist, and writer. But in everything she did, she was a teacher. I watched her give class a couple years ago, and she set the students dancing across the floor with astounding vigor and rigor. From her wheelchair, she used her hands to demonstrate the dynamics she wanted. "Put purpose in your pelvic movements," she urged. In 2001, when she accepted a Bessie Award just 10 days after 9/11, she told us to believe in "peace, wisdom, courage, and love." And then, to all of us gathered at The Joyce that night, she said, "Everything I have goes with you." All that we've taken from Miss Dunham--or any of our teachers--is ours to keep.