Teaching philosophy
My love for teaching began with an adult beginner ballet class I taught while I was in college. I dove in knowing little about pedagogy, let alone how to scaffold a technique as complex as ballet for complete beginners. I relied on intuition, listened closely to my students, and sought out new tools as I encountered problems I did not yet know how to solve. I quickly discovered how much I loved finding the right cue, image, or exercise that could unlock something for a student, helping them understand their body differently or accomplish something they had not thought possible.
Since then, I have taught across the lifespan, from pre-K students in public school classrooms to professional dancers to older adults. I have taught ballet, contemporary, jazz, creative movement, Capoeira, choreography, and Pilates; introduced students to dance history and criticism; and experimented with myriad entry points for cultivating dance literacy and deep engagement within each unique community I teach.
My teaching is student-centered and grounded in the belief that rigor and enjoyment are mutually reinforcing. I want students to understand not only what they are doing, but how to continue learning without me. I seek to cultivate self-motivation, curiosity, discipline, and agency so that students leave my classroom with greater confidence in their ability to learn, create, and make informed choices about their own bodies and artistic practices.
Teaching experience
My teaching practice spans public schools, private studios, higher education, and community-based dance programs throughout New York City. I have taught with Bridge for Dance, Ballet Academy East, and The Yard, and have served as a teaching artist with AmeriCorps ArtistYear and Dances For A Variable Population. Through ArtistYear, I taught dance throughout the school day at a New York City public elementary school, developing curriculum and working with students across general education, ICT, and specialized classroom settings. I have also worked as an NYC Public Schools substitute teacher and as a guest teaching artist through Hunter College’s Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program.
My work with adult and older-adult populations remains an important part of my practice. As a Teaching Artist and Rehearsal Assistant with Dances For A Variable Population, I teach older adults in community settings and support rehearsals for REVIVAL, which brings older adult dancers and teaching artists together in professional performance.
I hold a B.A. in Dance and Gender Studies from Barnard College and am currently pursuing an M.A. in Dance Education at Hunter College, where I am working toward New York State PreK–12 Dance certification. I am also a certified Mat Pilates instructor. My research in trauma-informed ballet pedagogy has been published in the Journal of Dance Education and continues to inform my commitment to creating rigorous learning environments grounded in agency, belonging, and respect for the whole person.