PHILOSOPHIES
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
For many years, the mind has been overlooked with the important role it plays in dance. Dancers know how to express emotions through movement but only because they were told to. It is common for dancers to not understand why they are doing something. We do because we are told. The evolution of Western dance starts with strict ballet techniques, to then modern which started to become more rebellious. We started changing the way we moved but did our minds and bodies understand that change to the full extent? With that said, as a teacher, I strive to help my students connect their body to their mind and soul. There is so much power in understanding the information passed to you on more than just a “here is how you perform this movement”. My goal for my students is to understand the movement, their feelings, and the why to it all.
CHOREOGRAPHY PHILOSOPHY
Quickly becoming a passion of mine, I use choreography as a form of physical and emotional expression. I challenge myself to explore new movement patterns that feel unfamiliar in my body, always attempting to push the boundaries in what we know as dance. Through improv and the exploration of movement, I find myself testing the water in what can become choreographed movement that still feels natural to the body. My modern choreography tends to favor the body's expression, and focusing on what the body wants to do, leaving aside the story-telling narrative. Working as a dance instructor, I apply many of the same challenges of exploration in all styles. I find myself growing through my work as a choreographer and hope to continue that growth as I explore.