Shannon Dooling-Cain is a dancer, choreographer, writer, and dance educator based in Arizona, with roots in the Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. metro areas. She specializes in ballet, modern dance, contemporary dance, jazz, dance history, improvisation, and creative movement for all ages and skill levels. Her choreography has been featured in venues throughout New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Phoenix, AZ. On her blog, she provides resources for dance teachers including curriculum ideas, lesson plans, dance activities, choreography ideas, and reflections on the intersection of dance, art, society, feminism, and motherhood. She is available to teach dance workshops, create and set choreography for students and professionals, and provide consulting to dance studios, K-12 programs, individual artists, and small companies.
A quote from Phylicia Rashad has been on my mind for some time now: “Before a child talks, they sing. Before they write, they draw. As soon as they stand, they dance. Art is fundamental to human expression.” I see this quote in action every day raising my son. He’s almost two now, and I’m constantly … More Letting Kids Be Kids in The Dance Studio
Hello, Sweet Summer! With the official start of the summer season last week, it’s my hope that all of my dance teacher colleagues are getting ready to enjoy at least something of a break – or at least a change of pace for the summer months! If you are in the #doneclub and ready to … More Summertime Self-Care Strategies for Dance Teachers
Summer is a fantastic time to for students to engage in the serious study of dance technique. Camps, intensives, and workshops allow students extended time to refine their dance skills, study new dance styles, dive into the nuances of creating or learning choreography, and work on conditioning and flexibility. However, it is important to balance … More 5 Fantastically Fun Dance Games for Summer
It’s almost recital time! Creating choreography for and with my students has become one of my favorite parts of teaching. But if we are being honest with one another, it can also be one of the most stressful aspects of the job. There can be a lot pressure to make a piece of choreography that … More 5 Ways to Help Your Students Rock Their Recital Dances!
It’s finally feeling like spring in most of the U.S., and there is no better way to celebrate in our dance classes than with some fun seasonal activities. Young dancers, especially pre-school and early elementary ages, tend respond well to games and activities that reflect the spring season. Here are a few of my favorite … More Simply Splendid Springtime Activities for Young Dancers
Creativity is a muscle, and just like any other muscle, it need to be exercised in order to get stronger – that is the theory behind the #ChoreographyAdventures. These short, simple movement prompts are designed to get you into the studio and make informal work – which I call “dancettes” – on a regular basis. … More 10 MORE Choreography Adventures to Hone Your Compositional Skills
“Making Dance Now” is an occasional blog series profiling choreographers and small dance companies to explore the challenges and rewards of creating, producing, and presenting choreography in today’s culture and economy. It’s my hope that this series will spark a dialogue about the importance of dance-making today, and how we can better support choreographers! The … More “Making Dance Now”: ASTC
Raise your hand if you’ve been bored in a dance class! I’ve got one hand raised as I type this, and I’m only thinking about the classes in which I’ve been the dance teacher. Dance is an art for that relies on routine and repetition to get results. While there is nothing wrong with consistency … More Simple Ways to “Shake-Up” Your Dance Class Routine
It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and if you are anything like me, you have no idea how, or even if, you will celebrate with your significant other, but you definitely know what your lesson plans for the week look like! Or, maybe you don’t … and if that’s the case, here are three activities that you … More Three Sweet Valentine’s Day Activities for Your Dance Class
As a dance educator and choreographer, I’m always thinking about transitions. Dance technique is full of transitional movements that make all the difference: that perfect preparation before the pirouette, that luxurious undercurve in the triplet, that sublime chasse into the leap. I know these transitions are crucial; proper execution of them distinguishes the novice dancer from … More The #MonthlyMessage: It’s All About the Transitions
