Life as a Modern Dancer

Category: Blog Series: Becoming a Teaching Artist

  • My Dance Week: Monifa Kincaid

    Brooklyn based choreographer, dancer and dance educator Monifa Kincaid has worked in various genres of dance from contemporary to rhythm tap. She has performed with Nia Love/Blacksmith’s Daughter Dance, Barbara Duffy and Company, Camara Dance Unlimited, New Tap Dance Orchestra/Brenda Bufalino, Sanza Nemo Collective/Guido Tuveri, and the tap ensemble “Sophisticated Ladies” featuring Dormeisha Sumbry-Edwards at…

  • A Mid-Semester Self-Reflection for K-12 Teaching Artists

      I was speaking yesterday with a colleague about looking at our own strengths and weaknesses, as well as ways to receive feedback and have a dialogue about our work.    Content aside just for today, let's consider those key components of our dance classes, such as pacing, command of the room, and the energy…

  • Quote for Today: Joan Woodbury

     Today's quote comes from Joan Woodbury's artist profile this week.    On the subject of teaching: I am always a little shocked or perhaps saddened to see workshops advertised for "dancers in transition," with the implication being…transitioning OUT of the field. My constant advice and pleasure is to see dancers stay IN the field and…

  • Becoming a Teaching Artist: Two Resources from the Center for Childhood Creativity and Edutopia

    Today I would like to share two free resources online that will be useful for new teaching artists, especially those working with elementary age students. From the Center for Childhood Creativity in the San Francisco Bay Area, this one page sheet succinctly articulates about creative based work and the big ideas of having our work…

  • A Pulse on Dance in LA Unified School District

    By Shana Habel, Dance Adviser Dance is alive and well in the Los Angeles Unified School District at both the elementary and secondary levels. Our elementary dance program began in 1999 with 7 dance teachers; today we have 41 full-time elementary dance teachers that service hundreds of elementary schools. Our elementary program is a foundational one…

  • Speaking as a Teaching Artist: Jesse Zaritt, Cynthia Oliver, Dawn Stoppiello, and Debra Knapp

    Jesse Zaritt Today you will hear from four artists who have shared their stories on the blog over the past three months and learn about the role of teaching within their careers. Teaching is integral, challenging, and inspiring. From Jesse Zaritt (Brooklyn, NY): In my teaching, I try to critically examine the historical terms of what…

  • Becoming a Teaching Artist: A Useful Chart of the Skills We need

      I was just reading an email from TASC, the Teaching Artist Support Collaborative of California. TASC is a wonderful organization working on behalf of teaching artists throughout the state of California, advocating for arts education as well as supporting working teaching artists. Reading further on its website, I found this useful chart that articulates the…

  • Becoming a Teaching Artist: How Subbing Can Support Your Work in K-12 Schools

    Do you teach part-time at a K-12 school (public or independent)? Have you considered subbing? Let me explain.  Schools are constantly looking for substitute teachers, whether it is for a few class periods or a full day. Becoming a sub at the site you already teach dance classes at can be a winning idea in a…

  • Becoming a Teaching Artist: Thinking about Common Core

    I saw this Huffington Post piece mentioned today on social media and was delighted to read it just now. Patricia Reedy of the Luna Dance Institute wrote it. I am a huge admirer of her work, and I believe that Patricia is one of the most visionary dance educators in the United States.  As Reedy writes…

  • For Brand New Teaching Artists (Grades PreK-12): Teaching Tips from the Book Dance Education Essentials

      In August 2014, Valerie Gutwirth and I published a pocket guide/journal of 55 teaching tips we wished we had learned before embarking on a career teaching children and teens. This book is not teaching advice about content or lesson planning; it is about those essential details – the brass tacks (teaching supplies, paychecks, shoes for…