Education is essential to propelling society forward.  Knowledge is the key to understanding and accepting those around us, prompting us to make our society a better place.  An effective education involves studying of all subjects, including dance, because it is important to be well-rounded.  The educational value of dance is unmatched and ultimately, I believe that the purpose of dance is to express and convey.  An effective dance teacher teaches by being receptive to how each individual learns and by creating a safe learning environment.  I am certain that students learn best when they understand how they learn as an individual.  I know that not all of my students learn the same way and I am aware of the huge influence that I have as an educator.

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As an educator, I want my students to know that doing their very best every day is so important, not just in dance, but in life.  I am the most successful at anything when I know that my best is good enough.  Their personal best can change from day to day because some days are harder than others and that is okay.  I do not want my students to grow up competing with one another, but to encourage and build one another up.  Cultivating a community of creative artists was something I did not encounter until I came to college and is something I wish I had in my earlier dance training.  I believe that a cared for individual will be more receptive to learning dance technique, and when given the opportunity to be creative with movement for themselves, will not be restricted with self-doubt.

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As I have grown as a dancer, what technique and alignment mean to me has also changed and developed.  When I was younger, technique felt more like rules and alignment felt very constricting.  It was not until I grew older that I found ease in proper alignment and when my technique began to help me in more challenging movement phrases.  As a cell biology major, I also appreciated the connection to how fluidly a cell works to how fluidly a dancer moves.  There is a lot of value in making that transition from a list of things to how they all work together.  In my opinion it is good to look at the whole picture as you teach; however, if students are getting overwhelmed I think that there is incredible value in breaking it down before putting everything together into a cohesive “big picture."  Science and dance are both evolving from a dualistic perspective to a more encompassing one.  I believe that there is value in both the intricacies and the whole.

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In my class, I love to use imagery as a tool to help students understand complex ideas.  It can help a lot of students to visualize something rather than just trying to mimic what I am showing them.  I also love to teach my students about anatomy.  Teaching my students which muscles need to be engaged can help them focus on one part of their technique.  In a creative movement class, I love to use more imagery than anatomy, but I won’t stray from using basic anatomy like the head, knees, and elbows.  I think it is important to teach students about anatomy at an early age, but in time and when applicable to the class.

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As a teacher, my priorities are that every student in my class feels safe and appreciated for the unique individual that they are.  I want them to enjoy themselves, learn something new, and perhaps take that into their everyday lives.