The Imperishable Afterlife of Cardington Manor, Alyssa Casey, Shane Donohue, & Catie Smiley Choreographers
Courtney Milkent Photography
Courtney Milkent Photography
Teaching Philosophy
I believe that through self-trust all knowledge can be acquired. This belief fuels the basis for which I build my pedagogical approach to teaching. In my own work, I have discovered the importance of confidence, in order to absorb information and grow as a dancer. As a teacher, I work to identify and share with the students the elements of themselves that make them unique. Through the acknowledgement of the students’ abilities, they begin to develop the confidence necessary to work in a mind frame that allows for productive reflection and continued growth. As they believe in their work, they can pursue further development as artists.
In order to supply a comprehensive learning experience, my approach uses the students’ confidence to explore the development of their mental and physical abilities. Through a kinesthetic experience, students gain a greater understanding of their own bodies. I supply them with physically demanding exercises that challenge them, and I encourage their discovery of proper placement and alignment of the body. These concepts work to promote ease of mobility and the expansion of opportunities within their movement. Along with this physical approach, I use cognitive experiences to balance my class structure. Through complexity in phrasing of movements and timing, I encourage the participation of the students’ minds in their work. In order to develop mentally, I supply compositional opportunities that urge the students to make their own choices, and discover their full potential. Through my teaching, I challenge the students in new ways, encouraging the development of their minds as they develop their bodies.
I set out to help students gain the ability to approach dance as a means to create a larger impact on the world around them. Through exposing the students to a multitude of historical and contemporary dance artists and forms they are able to acquire individual aesthetic preferences that aid in the creation of their own personal viewpoints. Through these personal viewpoints, each individual can address the current state of the world around them. By instilling a sense of self-trust in each student, they are able to confidently form personal opinions on relevant cultural topics. These opinions are viewed through the lens of a dancer, allowing them to analyze all they see in a productive, creative way. As they create work, they will use their personal reflections to comment on and add to the world around them. As a teacher, I will encourage the dancers to think deeply about their work, helping them grow to become intelligent, reflective and aware in their artistry.
In order to supply a comprehensive learning experience, my approach uses the students’ confidence to explore the development of their mental and physical abilities. Through a kinesthetic experience, students gain a greater understanding of their own bodies. I supply them with physically demanding exercises that challenge them, and I encourage their discovery of proper placement and alignment of the body. These concepts work to promote ease of mobility and the expansion of opportunities within their movement. Along with this physical approach, I use cognitive experiences to balance my class structure. Through complexity in phrasing of movements and timing, I encourage the participation of the students’ minds in their work. In order to develop mentally, I supply compositional opportunities that urge the students to make their own choices, and discover their full potential. Through my teaching, I challenge the students in new ways, encouraging the development of their minds as they develop their bodies.
I set out to help students gain the ability to approach dance as a means to create a larger impact on the world around them. Through exposing the students to a multitude of historical and contemporary dance artists and forms they are able to acquire individual aesthetic preferences that aid in the creation of their own personal viewpoints. Through these personal viewpoints, each individual can address the current state of the world around them. By instilling a sense of self-trust in each student, they are able to confidently form personal opinions on relevant cultural topics. These opinions are viewed through the lens of a dancer, allowing them to analyze all they see in a productive, creative way. As they create work, they will use their personal reflections to comment on and add to the world around them. As a teacher, I will encourage the dancers to think deeply about their work, helping them grow to become intelligent, reflective and aware in their artistry.