Teaching

My theory of education revolves around creating an inclusive and accessible learning environment where anyone and everyone can explore the world of dance. I believe that dance can be anything, but in order to participate in more formalized settings, one needs to learn the rules and techniques of the various styles. Therefore, my teaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of self-discipline, contextual understanding, and body awareness while allowing for experimentation and expression.

My role as an educator is to pass on my knowledge and experience to my students and teach them about the context and tradition of the styles that I teach so that they can have a greater understanding and appreciation for the art form they practice. I believe that an understanding of the “why” is as important as the “what”.  Having an understanding of the “why” behind the “what” helps students to develop a deeper appreciation and connection to the art form they are practicing. It also helps them to make informed choices and develop their own creative voice. Through my teaching, I hope to instill in my students a curiosity and eagerness to learn about different dance styles and their history. My goal is to not only teach them how to execute specific steps and movements but to also cultivate critical thinking skills that enable them to analyze and interpret dance in a meaningful way.

My goal as an educator is to foster a love for dance and encourage self-expression and experimentation among my students. I believe that dance should be something that students enjoy, not something that they feel they have to do. I strive to nurture the drive of my students while not pushing the unwilling. To me, encouraging self-discipline is more effective than enacting external disciplines. To achieve this, I practice positive reinforcement, lead by example and work to create an environment where the dancers feel that they are in control of what they are doing. I disagree with the notion that in order to be successful you have to say “yes” to every aspect of dance, and I hope to keep my dancers safe by being open to communication about how they are feeling and giving alternate options for ways to participate in class. Communication and health are crucial elements of dance education that should be incorporated in all aspects of class.

In my teaching, I push to incorporate various theories of education, including multiple learning theories and a student-centered approach to teaching. I believe that every student learns differently, and it is my role as an educator to facilitate their learning process by incorporating various teaching strategies and techniques. My classes often begin with an opening discussion about how the students are feeling. This also is my opportunity to introduce the subject of the class and if necessary, gauge their pre-existing knowledge about the concept. From there we warm up, with references and introductions to various aspects of the concept. I then incorporate exercises that allow the students to explore their own understanding of the concept before teaching skills and further developing the ideas introduced earlier in class. I then allow the students to revisit and demonstrate their own knowledge through exercises that encourage creativity.

Dance has immense power and can truly be anything. It is my responsibility as an educator to create a safe and supportive learning environment that allows my students to learn about themselves while exploring the world around them.