Teaching Statement
As an educator, I believe in encouraging sincerity, as I am teach my students how to tell their authentic stories through movement. I encourage tenacity, as I believe that everyone should work diligently towards their goals. I teach the importance of ardor, as a dream can only go as far as one’s passion fuels it. The last of my core teachings is resilience, as I strive to instill in my students the strength to always rise back up with every fall. I believe that truly anything is possible with a little hard work, determination and a good attitude and this is the belief that sits at the core of all of my teaching. I aim to create an environment of positivity while encouraging a passion and respect for the art of dance. I ensure each of my students know that the classroom is the best place to make mistakes, as messing things up is truly the only way we can learn. Through diligent, personal instruction, designed to strengthen the emotionality, musicality and creativity of one’s movements, I teach my dancers that there is truly no limit to their capabilities.
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” ~Norman Vincent Peale
Artistic Statement
As both a choreographer and performer, my goal is and will always be to create and portray real life emotions, struggles and joys that provide an audience a safe space to feel openly. I believe that art is humanity’s most cathartic tool to help us get through our day-to-day lives and, with this in mind, I strive to connect emotionally with each individual person I perform or create for. In a world full of judgment, doubt and insecurities, dance is the perfect device to explore one’s own ideas and feelings without the fear of outside judgement. Dance provides in itself moments of personal therapy, whether that is providing a way to work through a hard time in one’s life or simply putting movements to a song that moves a person in a profound way. I believe that, through the sharing of this experience, both viewer and performer can undergo a journey of emotional discovery and growth that otherwise would remain unknown.
My creative process always begins with writing. Writing down the meaning, reason and goal of the piece that I am creating. Why is this piece necessary? What do I want my audience to feel when they see this piece? Through this process, I highlight the emotions that really stand out to me and think of ways to make those feelings shine through movement. My final step is to take some time to improvise to my music, seeing what physical movement makes me feel the emotions needed for the piece. I then use my improvisation to inspire me as I work on the choreography in studio.