Teaching Vision

Dance has always played an important role in my life. From my first tap and jazz combo class as a seven-year-old, I knew just what I wanted to be when I grew up. Fortunately, I had a supportive family who, from a young age, wanted me to follow my dreams. As a dance learner, I was taught many valuable life skills that I continue to carry with me. My dance teachers placed significance on what it meant to have a good work ethic and discipline, and how that could help get a job or make a lasting impression. Through dance I was able to explore the ways in which my dedication and passion could set me apart in all aspects of my life. I always felt that my passion for dance was clear both onstage and in the studio. I thought, “if everyone was able to do what they loved and were passionate about, they should let it show.” Dance helped me discover who I was and how I could contribute my unique thoughts and ideas to my community. I was also fortunate that my dance teachers fostered my love for dance and learning by consistently pushing me to be better and achieve more for myself. I believe that is where my desire to become a dance educator began. Above all, my teachers taught me how to be kind and empathetic. Those two qualities can take you much further than just being a talented dancer. Dance taught me more than steps, it taught me how to be a genuine human being who could contribute to any situation. I believe that dance can be as impactful as it was for me to all those who wish to learn. Now, I try to implement in my teaching practice the parts of my dance education that shaped me as both a dancer and a person.   

As a dance educator, I firmly believe in the power of the arts to create well-rounded individuals. A dance class offers much more than steps choreographed to music, proper alignment, and strong technique. I strive to instill kindness and empathy, discipline, integrity, critical thinking, and a strong work ethic in my students, which they can take with them beyond the classroom. I believe that what students learn in the dance classroom can be applicable to any path in life they choose. As the facilitator of these life skills, I empower my students to enter the dance classroom with the desire to learn, ask questions and an openness to trying new things. I bring a knowledge and passion for anatomy and safe movement practices to every dance class I teach. Through utilizing my Polestar Pilates mat certification, I incorporate Pilates into most dance classes through breathing, imagery, and mat exercises. Students will see many benefits including spinal mobility, strength, flexibility, kinesthetic awareness, and body and breath control. Together my students and I can create a safe space on the dance floor in which we honor each other and what our moving bodies are capable of creating and discovering.  

I bring a sense of encouragement to the classroom, where I foster the feeling of inclusivity, community, and openness, to allow students the opportunity to use dance as the catalyst to uncover their sense of self. Dance cultivates a desire for more knowledge through its foundations in exploring human nature. A comprehensive dance education offers students’ knowledge in history, anatomy, music appreciation and world cultures. When combined together, all of these things breed a love and appreciation for the arts and a deeper understanding of our world.