Teaching Statement-Lauren

I believe teaching dance is meant to imbue students with a means of self-expression. At the end of the lesson, I expect each student to walk away with a sense of accomplishment. I strive for students to feel as though they were able to tell a story, to convey an emotion, or to share their personality through their movement. I do not wish for students to agonize over minor flaws in technique or lapses in memory of choreography. I would rather focus on the students’ ability to feel open and emotive when performing their dances. To do so, I plan to incorporate improv exercises in each lesson to allow for the student to develop their own style. By creating such a vulnerable learning environment, where students must be willing to express themselves on the dance floor, I plan to instill a nonjudgmental space where students feel safe letting go of their emotions and sharing them with the class. To do so, I plan to compliment students to act as an example of how to interact with other students. Overall, I follow a student-centered teaching approach, in which I evaluate each and every students’ past experiences, current capabilities, and potential for achievement, and use those three analyses as metrics of improvement. To me, the expression and emotions of the student are most vital to their own sense of accomplishment and to their ability to achieve their highest potential, and thus, it should be the main focus of any lesson in dance.