TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Infused in all my work as a teacher, artist and human being is the desire to make the changes I want to see in the world; honoring all voices, valuing learning and the quest for knowledge, the promotion of creativity and original thinking, the active pursuit of passions and the eclipse of trivial matters in favor of great things.

In the studio and classroom alike, my courses are eclectic, rigorous and fun.  Informed by the humanities and social sciences, as well as pop culture and current events, I bring together traditional and unconventional resources to help students draw connections across subjects and engage the material from intersecting disciplinary angles.

In dance classes, at all skill levels, I attend to developing physical capacities and artistry.  Drawing from the rich legacy of modern dance techniques as well as somatics, improvisation and African rooted dance, I help students uncover new approaches to movement that further sensate awareness, musicality, flow, efficiency, momentum, body articulation and presence.  I believe dance training that’s inclusive of multiple styles and approaches resonates more deeply with students from a wider array of backgrounds and encourages the formation of unique personal visions.

My role is to activate depth and inaugurate action.  To that end, I guide students in their own learning, push them to take risks, question their assumptions, and present complex problems, ideas and issues to evoke fresh insight and new perspectives. Attuned to the silencing of women and minorities, still entrenched in many social institutions and, in some cases, internalized by students, I feel it is also my responsibility to facilitate a democratic interchange of ideas.  It is my hope, that my classes will equip students with the skills and confidence to create lives filled with meaning, and contribute to the betterment of society.