Have you ever watched a dancer who was just stunning technically – extensions to to the ear, super coordinated, gorgeous use of weight and space, incredible jumps and turns – but just doesn’t make you feel anything? It happens all the time, especially in the age of TV competitions and Instagram. Some people may believe … More How to Help Your Dance Students Improve Their Performance Skills
We’ve all been there … Ms. Shannon? My (stomach, big toe, left elbow, eyebrow, etc.) hurts so bad I can’t even move right now! Or … Ms. Shannon? I fell off my bike two days ago and banged up my knee and my mom says I can’t dance until I go to the doctor for my … More Injured? Under the Weather? What to Do When Your Dance Students Need to Sit Out
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 resolution time, dance teachers! Whether you love the practice of making New Year’s resolutions or hate it, the changing of the calendar can be a great time for us to reflect on our teaching practices and set some goals for the next twelve months and beyond. Here are three practical New Year’s Resolutions every … More Three New Year’s Resolutions for Dance Teachers
As dancers, we tend to love routines. Plie, tendu, degagge. Warm-up, progressions, combo. Pre-show rituals. Post-performance commemorations – mine was always a cheeseburger and Coke! Routines are necessary to our dance training and can make performances special. But in our daily lives, routines can easily become stifling. With my son rapidly approaching his first birthday, I … More The #Monthly Message: Find a Rhythm That Enhances Your Life, Not a Routine That Stifles It
This particular blog series – “My Top 5 Skills Your Students Should Know” – was inspired by a question posed in a dance teachers’ group on Facebook a while back: What are the 5 skills that you think are most important for your students to learn? As I’ve written in the past, I initially struggled … More My Top 5 Creative and Performance Skills Your Students Should Strive For
Improvisation can have a vast array of benefits for dancers of all ages and skill levels. When students improvise, they: Discover how to apply technical concepts in new ways, helping them to more deeply understand and internalize their dance technique Develop self-awareness as they explore movement principles and ideas in ways that work best for … More Dance Improvisation Tips & Activities
This particular blog series – “My Top 5 Skills Your Students Should Know” – was inspired by a question posed in a dance teachers’ group on Facebook a while back: What are the 5 skills that you think are most important for your students to learn? As I’ve written in the past, I initially struggled … More My Top 5 Social-Emotional Skills Your Students Should Develop
