Educator
Teaching Statement
As a dancer I learned the value of having a strong foundation of dance fundamentals from my time at Baltimore School for the Arts. I had danced for 8 years prior to attending the school, but at the start of my freshman year I was placed in the lowest level. I did not understand it at first, but it became clear that I was missing fundamental information. Information such as the articulation of the foot in a tendu and what it means to properly track my knees over my toes while doing a grande plié. In this level I was given the proper foundation that allowed me to excel upon reaching the highest level my senior year at the school. From then on I became a believer that “you can’t build a strong house on a weak foundation”. It is of the utmost importance to me that my students receive the proper foundations to build upon as a dancer, not only to be technically proficient but also to keep their bodies safe. Once the foundation has been built, the sky is the limit! Students can expect a focus on warming up the body through a progression of plies, tendus, etc. as well as a roll down series at the start of my classes including jazz, contemporary/lyrical, and modern. Through this practice I work with my students on applying technical concepts such as proper tracking of the knees and ankles, coordination of arms and legs, articulation of the feet and upper-body alignment. Once warmed up my students will always go through a stretch and conditioning series on the floor to improve upon flexibility and strength. My center work takes a focus on concepts/skills such as single-leg stability, extensions, weight shift, and pirouetting. When we reach across the floor and/or a combination, I work with my students on finding artistry and dynamics in their movement. Something that is important to me within dance is having fun! When I perform I often feel joy. This is the feeling that I encourage my students to find. No matter the age or skill level, after we’ve done all our pliés and tendus, joy is what I want to come to the forefront of their dancing.