Teaching Philosophy

I approach the classroom with a sense of collaboration, exploration, and accessibility. I believe learning and teaching is a two-way street that is best navigated when everyone is engaged in the process. A safe environment in the classroom starts with establishing a high level of respect between all participants so that everyone, including myself, feels they can take risks. I believe a disciplined study of dance involves looking beyond the physical form, to an ever-evolving study of culture, aesthetics, politics, and contemporary issues. It is also a place where individual artists can ignite their imaginations and be empowered with their own agency. My goal is to create an engaging environment, where students can develop a high level of technical training, investigate dance as an integrated art form in today’s multidisciplinary practices, and gain tools that can be carried beyond the classroom, into professional careers in the field of dance.

I believe in a balance that comprises the rigor of contemporary dance training, engagement in exploratory techniques, such as those found in the teachings of Deborah Hay or gaga technique, the use of somatic practices to develop sustainability and greater awareness within the art form, and the opportunity for open discussions about perspectives within the process of learning. These phenomenological approaches put value in the students’ development as a dance artist and equip them with a well-rounded education within the field. The foundation of the curriculum I present in studio practice includes a strong emphasis on body awareness as an integral tool towards embodiment. Teaching from a place of positive reinforcement instead of negative dismissal establishes a supportive environment where we can collaborate and explore. I am interested in students developing their critical thinking and problem solving skills, and encourage this through the promotion of questions and discussion. I offer clear objectives and expectations, but believe in a fluid approach while engaged in the classroom. Students are responsible for taking an active approach to learning and I am responsible for taking an active approach to teaching.

Creating a strong community, based upon a foundation of respect, in which the classroom can serve as a space for growth and a practice of freedom, is of the utmost importance. In today’s evolving dance field, equipping students with excellent training in performance, choreographic processes, teaching techniques, and theory, combined with a critical lens with which to view dance, is necessary for today’s contemporary artists.