As an educator:

I am fervent about movement. I refuse to remain static within movement concepts, theories and ideas. I find ways to explode students’ notions of dance forms open, play with overlap between forms, and pay homage to the foundational building blocks. I design movement experiences that develop and grow alongside students’ progression, as well as the field of dance as a whole.

I work to build inclusive communities where students feel safe to experiment and take risks. I aid students in identifying and acknowledging their individual movement histories, which become the foundation for developing old ideas, absorbing new ones, and connecting the two. I actively seek to build equity in the classroom, where the students recognize their individualities, and learn to support each other through their unique journeys. I work to create equality within the learning atmosphere, where students and I are discovering dance together.

I foster open exchange of communication to stimulate thoughtful examination of information, critical questioning, and self-responsible learning. I make space for students’ voices every class, encouraging community discussion and process as much as possible. I provide ample opportunities for collaboration and feedback between peers; we all learn from and with each other. I promote students taking responsibility for their learning through active reflection in multiple forms such as journaling, papers, and projects.

I teach dance from an interdisciplinary perspective. I blend contextual and theoretical information to promote students’ understanding of dance’s role within the larger global community. I role model active creative and scholarly research practices, weaving research into class work for students to engage and learn from. I design assignments that require cross-campus and cross-community engagement, where students harness and apply their dance learning to multiple modes of thought and creation. I develop curricula, advise students, and mentor projects from a ‘tour guide’ perspective, where the student is at the steering wheel, making and executing the choices that will inform their work, and their lives.

This methodology requires sensitivity to the energy of the classroom, students’ needs, diverse learning styles, cultural backgrounds and personal histories. By dancing and teaching with fervor within movement and theory courses alike, I aim to inspire students to charge head first into their own dance practices. My goal is to encourage forward thinkers and creative doers that will impact the moving world.