As a dance educator, I believe it is my responsibility to instill physical awareness, confidence, self respect, and a love of dance and others in each of my students. What sets a dance teacher apart from an academic one is the physical element. An understanding of one’s body, strengths, and weaknesses is essential to success in the dance classroom. Placement and alignment are paramount when it comes to technique. Whether a student plans to have a career in dance or elsewhere, this awareness assists in injury prevention as well as technique true to the given style’s aesthetic. 

Aside from technique, I find my deepest passion in the character and emotional development of my students. In a world where shortcuts and self deprecation are lauded, it is my goal to bring integrity and an uplifted spirit into the classroom. In my classroom, positive affirmations always accompany corrections, and emphasizing a student’s strengths is equally important as addressing areas of weakness. I also work to instill students with camaraderie and a genuine love of one another. The classroom should be a place of community, where a student’s integrity and kindness should be stressed just as much as their arabesque line.