The *S* Factor
My dance teaching philosophy strongly reflects the many experiences I’ve had as an evolving student, performer, teacher, and choreographer. It is geared toward serious artists who need the tools to compete in this ever-changing business. It is imperative that I give my students the knowledge they need not only to excel at their crafts, but to later plug themselves into networks that will further enhance and nurture their careers beyond college years.
*Student empowerment: We are the makers...
The most important part of my philosophy is my firm belief that I am not solely a teacher. I am a leader in a group of equally capable co-creators. It is my job to show my students this - that they can do it themselves. I always teach with an open ear for ideas, ego aside. My job is not just to teach and to bestow information, but to enable - to pinpoint and harness each artist's individual essence, squeezing brilliance out of them. This allows students to become vessels of creativity...knowing exactly how to utilize their uniquely developed talents to make intelligent, progressive, lasting impressions on the dance world around them. My students will be given many, many opportunities to choreograph alongside me, molding them into more polished artists each and every time they create new works of art.
*Smart Networking: You've Got To Have Friends...
I am a firm believer that happiness is created by healthy relationships. Happiness is being able to do what we love while being surrounded by people we love to do it with. Networking and building real, genuine relationships is more than half the game once the college days end, and it starts here in these dance studios. I am a huge enforcer of creating a safe, highly positive work/dance environment. In my classroom, all negative energy is squashed immediately. Students will be working and playing closely together, creating memories that will last a lifetime. Constructive competition is an art; wanting to be the best while nurturing each other's efforts is a value I am insistent upon instilling in other dancers. We are all in this competitive field together and we all need a family - supporters within our field.
*Self-discipline: Real World Here We Come....
As a dancer living in NYC who has seen the highs and lows of the "real world" - post-competition days, post-college, and post-cruise ship- I have learned first-hand that there will be days when these "friends" disappear into their own lives, leaving us to feel alone, and to view dancing as a distant dream. Sadly, the temptations, obstacles and distractions of this "real world" are stronger than a dancer's dreams much of the time. Without grades, deadlines, or mandatory schedules pinned to the wall to motivate, dancers can find themselves spiraling down the "Tomorrow Slide", a ride lined with excuses, loneliness, financial woes, plan B's, and procrastination. But with the right tools and mentality, the dancer can win against the real world! This truth is what I strive to relay to my students as they prepare for real careers. It's go big or go home. They must learn to set true goals and identify steps to achieve them while flying solo. In my classroom, each student must prepare and submit weekly, monthly, and yearly goals as part of the curriculum. This personalized goal-work will help them to hone their pro-active skills so that eventually, without the dictation of faculty, they will possess the confidence to dream big and conquer life tasks on their own.
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