Teaching Philosophy 

 

    Studying dance’s histories and interactions allow students to view the intricacies of the world around them through a movement based lens.  I believe that the study of dance history, especially looking at its influences on popular culture (and vice versa), is a valuable study for students of all disciplines. Dance History intersects with many other areas of research, potentially offering different access points for developing new thoughts and ideas in other subjects. Dance provides an anthropological window into many cultures of the world, particularly those with no written history. By studying dance history, new layers of understanding can be revealed.

    I believe that adopting a timeline-based approach to the pedagogy of dance history, will allow students to learn about dance in a more holistic way, that does not center around the “Western Dance Hierarchy,” i.e., modern and ballet. When we open up the dance history canon, students can more clearly see the influence of styles on each other, and understand how dance forms have developed.

    As an educator, I believe that empowering students to take charge of their education and delve into what moves them; will lead us to become a society of open-minded, passionate learners and observers.