My journey with choreography
began during my time as a competitive gymnast. I felt stifled by the rigid poses that I was given to suffice for my floor routine’s choreography – I had an urge to break beyond the USAG formula. So, I began to choreograph my own floor routines, and then my friends’ routines. By age 14, it became my summer job. As I transitioned to the dance and theater world, I honed my skills by teaching at various dance studios in my hometown, and choreographing everything from high school musicals to choir concerts to varsity dance routines to Shakespearean plays. Nearly 8 years later, I have developed a unique philosophy for the way I approach my work as a teacher and a choreographer. Scroll down to read more about my teaching and choreographic ideologies.
I BELIEVE IN DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION.
“Love is loyalty, love is teamwork, love respects the dignity of the individual. This is the strength of any organization.” – Vince Lombardi
What we need from dance class is unique to the individual. As a teacher and choreographer, changes to meet the needs of the dancers are imperative. A collaborative working relationship helps to prevent injury and produce better results. Whether it is offering individual corrections or different levels of skills and movements in a combination, I believe each dancer should be able to get what they desire out of my class.
I BELIEVE IN
DESIRABLE DIFFICULTY AND DEVELOPING A GROWTH MINDSET
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.”
- Vince Lombardi
Challenge promotes learning. With a positive outlook on what difficulty can do for our brains and for our bodies, we can grow and achieve much more. Perfection is not the objective of education. Consistent and intentional application of knowledge to our work is the goal. I challenge myself and other dancers by teaching combinations quickly to develop memorization, introducing new skills to develop motor skills, and incorporating a variety of choreographic forms to test sequencing abilities.
I EMPHASIZE INTENTIONAL MOVEMENT
“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” - Vince Lombardi
Passivity is the enemy of growth. I focus on the connection between mind and body, reminding dancers to have a constant and conscious awareness of how we are moving and what muscles we are engaging. Only when we are actively engaging with movement, when we are intentional with our placement and with our bodies, can we advance our strength and technique. I believe this hyper-awareness is also imperative for developing a greater understanding of oneself, thereby giving dancers more agency over their bodies and preventing injury.
I EMPHASIZE
PHYSICAL STRENGTH AND STRONG TECHNIQUE
“If you’ll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.”
- Vince Lombardi
As a dancer who was born pigeon-toed, I know all too well the struggle of forcing turnout and laborious ballet barres. That is why – in conjunction with differentiated instruction and intentional movement – I work to help dancers find what strength and technique means for them. I incorporate simple, yet challenging sequences in my warmups and across the floor to build strength and stamina, properly align the body, and engage the necessary muscles to support dancers’ ability to move freely and safely.
I BELIEVE THAT DANCE COMES FROM THE HEART
“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” - Vince Lombardi
I encourage dancers to ask themselves what THEY bring to the movement, beyond the technique, beyond the intentionality, beyond the achievements. The impetus to move comes from deep inside. We must be deeply connected to our hearts so that we may move with passion and honest emotion. Vulnerability and storytelling are the most important pieces of our work. I try to inspire dancers to have a strong perspective in every move they make, to know what it is they want to share, and to believe in the power of their gifts to have an impact on others.
I BELIEVE IN COMMUNITY
“Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” - Vince Lombardi
Dance is a shared human experience. It forges connections between individuals, it crosses cultures and countries, its legacy is thousands and thousands of years old. It is important to establish dance spaces as communal and team-oriented. I encourage dancers to embrace the beauty of our individuality while collectively working toward a common goal. We come to learn from one another and to share with one another. We are united by our love to dance.