Life as a Modern Dancer

Category: Dance Educators/Teaching Artists

  • “Dance/Reflect:” A New Journal to Use with High School Students

      "Dance/Reflect:" A New Journal to Use with High School Students By Jill Randall   Over the years, I have created 4 journals to be used in undergraduate and graduate-level technique courses. I have heard of high school dance teachers adapting these journals to use in their classes and studios as well. This year, I…

  • On teaching dance: What we wish to hear, what we hope you feel as a student

    On teaching dance: What we wish to hear, what we hope you feel as a student By Jill Randall My head and heart have been full lately after a series of wonderful dance classes these past few weeks. I love being a teacher, and I love being a lifelong learner in weekly classes. Thank you…

  • Springtime Musings on Teaching and Learning: Or, Where My Mind and Heart Are with Teaching Modern Dance These Days

    Image above pulled from the 2017 Dance+Change project through Life as a Modern Dancer. Read about the project and view all 12 images here. Graphic design by Jenny Lederer.   Springtime Musings on Teaching and LearningOr, Where My Mind and Heart Are with Teaching Modern Dance These Days By Jill Randall Over the years on…

  • Speaking as a Teaching Artist: Five Bay Area Artists Share Perspectives (Lauren Simpson, Kathleen Hermesdorf, Charles Slender-White, and Kristin Damrow)

    From Blog Director Jill Randall: During the past year, these five San Francisco Bay Area artists have shared Artist Profiles on Life as a Modern Dancer. Today, I pulled together their thoughts around the art of teaching. Click on each artist's name to read their full Artist Profile. Lauren Simpson teaching "Practice, Process, Research: Defining Terms and…

  • How Can I Practice Dance Technique Without Being Frustrated by Learning Steps?

    Photo: Yi Chun Wu How Can I Practice Dance Technique Without Being Frustrated by Learning Steps? (OR: How Can I Teach Dance Technique Without Choreography?) By Suzanne Beahrs In order to practice dance technique effectively, it helps to alternate our attention between learning steps and biomechanics. Guided improvisation can help us focus more on how…

  • Disrupt/Deepen/Contextualize: A Graphic Organizer for Seasoned Dance Teaching Artists

    ————————————————————————— From Blog Director Jill Randall: As we head into another academic year (the 22nd year for myself!), I have created a simple reflection tool for us all. Please join me! The three key words and actions here are: disrupting, deepening, and contextualizing.  Disrupting – breaking out of our normal patterns for both teaching and…

  • “My Dance Week”: Life in Higher Ed

    The "My Dance Week" column challenges artists to write out, or sketch out, a week in their world – teaching, commuting, rehearsing, training, family time, and down time. Over the past several years 8 artists have been highlighted who work in higher education, whether full-time or part-time. Their posts are shared again today.  Nina Haft with…

  • My Dance Week: Pamela Vail

    Photo: Tori Lawrence From Blog Director Jill Randall: In February 2014, I started this column/new feature on the blog to shed light on the “real picture” of what a week for a dancer looks like and all that it entails – commuting, various jobs, teaching, rehearsing, administrating, family time, down time, and much more. Exertion…

  • Dance Pedagogy for a Diverse World: Culturally Relevant Teaching in Theory, Research and Practice

    New Book Dance Pedagogy for a Diverse World: Culturally Relevant Teaching in Theory, Research and Practice Blog Post By Nyama McCarthy-Brown, Author  —– Dance Pedagogy for a Diverse World: Culturally Relevant Teaching in Theory, Research and Practice, is the go-to resource for dance educators and dancers who want to explore issues of culture, race, gender,…

  • Artist Profile #156: Becca Levy (Jacksonville, FL)

     Photo: Seth Langner Hometown: Boston, MA (Adopted hometown: Los Angeles, CA) Current city: Jacksonville, FL Age: 37 College and degree: Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. Bachelors Degree of Fine Arts in Dance Graduate school and degree: California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA. Masters Degree of Fine Arts in Choreography. I…