Teaching artist MANIFESTO
I believe that…
Teaching in itself can be a form of artistic expression, playful research, and a subtle yet impactful form of protest against commonly-held traditions and habits.
Every child deserves the opportunity to pursue rigorous and excellent ballet training if they so desire - regardless of their race, gender / sexual identity, body type, disability, socioeconomic status, etc.
Technical rigor and standards can be maintained while also creating room to celebrate intelligence, critical thinking, and creativity within the ballet classroom environment.
Prioritizing high-quality, thoughtful, and caring ballet education for children will nourish and uplift the ballet field as a whole by developing and retaining the future leaders and change-makers within the art form.
A children’s ballet teacher’s education, empathy, and commitment to a continuous pedagogical evolution is far more important than a teacher’s former professional dance performance experience.
I pursue these beliefs by…
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Stepping into the ballet classroom every day and striving to teach children with as much care, thoughtfulness, and respect as possible.
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Accepting that I myself am a work in progress, and that mistakes are a welcome part of progress as long as they are addressed and resolved.
Maintaining high standards for myself and my students - especially in regards to work ethic, focus, and technical / intellectual proficiency.
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Enthusiastically committing myself to my own continuous education and learning through higher education, scholarly inquiry, and mentorship in various areas of my education and career.
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Seeking out / creating research that can have an active and current impact on ballet students’ lives and education.
Staying humble and accepting that my passion does not mean that I know all of the answers.