Teaching Philosophy

I aspire for my students to become intelligent and imaginative thinkers for movement making in the dance art form. I hope to challenge my students to think beyond what the body knows and to question how they can move differently from what they already know. As an educator, mentor, mover and as a human being, I realized that all of my values guide me toward restoring, fostering, building, and maintaining the empowerment of my students. I believe in celebrating all students' imprinted histories, bodies, and self-knowledge that will enable movement authorization. Creating a collaborative environment, I hope to encourage my students to feel a sense of belonging, worth, and feel empowered to share their artistic voice within their art community for the greater good of their evolving generation. Liberating the oppressed body by example, I will remove the sight sense (i.e., eyes closed or facing a direction with zero reflection) to shift their awareness of how it 'feels' to move rather than an image of what one 'should' look like. Having my students begin to move to visuals will heighten their sensations to experience movement felt within the body versus emulating the form they see. I will attain my aspired outcome by merging studio practice of dance genres (Jazz, Lyrical, Compositional, and Improvisation) and modalities of situating the body to develop their sensing body. By portraying the importance of these methodologies for aspiring artists searching for growth, self-sufficiency, and their voice within their art form. Helping students with their vulnerabilities and strengths; although I identify as an educator and mentor, I also gain valuable feedback and experience from deepening my relations with others.