Pedagogy​​

Teaching Philosophy​

As an educator, my teaching philosophy is to create equitable and inspiring spaces for dancers to develop their artistry, technique, and creative practices. Experiencing a joy of movement and imaginative expression while imparting an awareness and appreciation for dance history in contemporary educational practices is essential to my teaching. When teaching, I strive to cultivate a culture of thinking dancers; dancers who understand the history and lineage of the movements they are learning and interpreting in their own bodies while also questioning and pushing boundaries to expand the movements beyond what is given to them. As a dance educator, it is essential that I create an interdisciplinary understanding of dance as a field. Dance forms inform and influence each other and creating an appreciation of that among my students is key. As primarily a ballet educator, I find this to be even more critical to be not only aware of, but also an active practitioner of developing interdisciplinary understanding and appreciation of the dance field. 

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My primary teaching influences are my own teachers, past and present. The lineage of my own dance training is present in how I teach, from imagery to corrections to student rapport. I draw on the most pragmatic practices from my teachers and adapt them in my own way to best fit my students. I often reference notebooks from years past when I would like to recall ideas given to me by past teachers. I believe that as I continue to learn, my teaching will continue to be influenced by new ideas. Additionally, weaving concepts of Laban/Bartenieff movement fundamentals is key in how I demonstrate movements, discuss corrections with students, and explain choreographic intent. Alongside Laban/Bartenieff movement fundamentals, utilizing elements of kinesiology is important in my teaching, particularly in regards to corrections and injury prevention. A significant focus of my undergraduate pedagogy training was on Anne Green Gilbert’s BrainDance and Brain-Compatible Dance Education, which continues to influence my teaching not only with youth dancers, but also with adults as I adapt the concepts to a range of ages and abilities.