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.
Thanksgiving is, hands down, my favorite holiday. Yummy food, time with family, no pressure to find the perfect costume or gift … what’s not to love? But Thanksgiving has never been an easy holiday for me to celebrate in the dance classes I teach. Wedged between the Halloween madness and Christmas craze, there isn’t a … More 3 Thanksgiving Dance Activities to Encourage Gratitude
This is the first in a guest blog series by Jonathan Cain, Chartered Financial Consult(R), cellist, engineer, and (if I may add) husband extraordinaire! The goal of this series is to provide basic information on taxes for independent artists, such as performers, dance teachers, and choreographers, to answer some common questions about income, expenses, and … More Tax Basics for Independent Artists
Like many in the dance world, I was appalled by Good Morning America’s recent coverage of Prince George and the fact that he takes ballet classes. I was sad for George and all the little boys who might feel ashamed because someone says that what they love to do is “girly.” I felt anger that … More 5 Ways to Make Your Dance Studio More Gender-Inclusive
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
