Today's episode is a follow-up on episode number 22 with guest Isaac Iskra.  After reflecting upon that conversation, I decided (on a last-minute whim that forced me to record and edit this episode in record time!) that I had some follow-up thoughts on my own experience that I wanted to share.  The tips that I share in this episode are informed by the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, therapy, which I mention in the episode is a controversial practice, and has been rejected by many members of the autism community.  This episode is not intended to endorse ABA therapy, but merely to educate on a few key functions of this practice that I personally feel can be helpful to dance teachers!  Please listen and make your own judgements and applications as you see fit!  Here is the link to guest episode with Isaac Iskra regarding his experience as an autistic dancer and choreographer.Join the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook!Theme Music by GB Mystical: gbmystical.com

In today's episode, Isaac Iskra, founder of Nefelaba Dance Theater, shares his experience in developing his craft as a dancer and choreographer with Autism.  In addition to walking us through his own journey both in pursuing a dance career and gaining a formal autism diagnosis in his twenties, Isaac shares his thoughts and advice on providing accommodations for neurodivergent dance students and audience members, pursuing a career as an artist, and supporting autistic creators. Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comRecorded Via Squadcast

Today Rachel Jenks, aka "The Booty-Kicking Ballerina," shares her story of completely running her body into the ground in pursuit of her dream career as a professional ballet dancer, followed by her long journey of recovery, starting with mental healing, which eventually led her to physical healing as well.  Rachel also shares plenty of practical tips for how we as dance teachers can "partner with our bodies" both mentally and physically to be the best dance teachers we can be without pushing ourselves to dance through pain!Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comRecorded Via Squadcast

Nicole Perry is an intimacy director, intimacy coordinator, and dance choreographer who's worked in film, theater, and dance to empower and educate performers on understanding and working with their personal boundaries.  Join me as I get the very basics on what consent in the dance classroom is all about, and then delve into what a consent-informed approach to dance education looks like from a practical standpoint, and why we NEED to talk about it!Discount Code for Nicole's Teaching Resources: DTPOD on Momentumstage.orgTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comRecorded Via Squadcast

Say it with me...WE LOVE A THEME!  Here are a few of my favorite Halloween and fall-themed activities to implement all month long for fun and engaging classes (without slacking on instructional value)! Head over to the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to connect and share your input!Theme Music by GB Mystical: gbmystical.com

If you teach Hip-Hop, or are planning to teach Hip-Hop at any point in the future, you NEED to listen to this amazing crash-course from today's special guest, Neo Lynch!  Neo breaks down her own background in Hip-Hop and understanding the differences in styles across geographic regions, and how she incorporates the rich history and culture of hip-hop into her teaching while still keeping classes engaging and fun! Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comRecorded Via Squadcast

Multi-Award-Winning choreographer, educator, author, lawyer and mentor Maria Daniel joins us today to talk about her program iDance Ministry, "Project BrOKen," and how she leveraged her gift for dance into acclaimed programs that teach, heal, and inspire individuals who may be struggling with physical, mental, or cultural barriers, or just need a safe space to express themselves through dance!  Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comRecorded Via Squadcast

After 16 episodes, most of you know that I have a tendency to hate on TikTok, Dance Influencers, and Social Media in general, so buckle up for this one!  On today's episode, I had the immense privilege of interviewing Alicia Mae Holloway, former Dance Theatre of Harlem and Suzanne Farrell Ballet dancer, who also happens to be a model, influencer, and former realty tv show contestant with over 500,000 TikTok followers and a social media reach in the tens of millions!  Alicia dished on the pros and cons of using social media for both education and promotion, what's REALLY important when it comes to training young ballet dancers, and a little helping of piping hot "Bachelor" tea for me, the shameless fan!  Enjoy!Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comRecorded Via Squadcast

Hello and welcome from one of the WORST name-learners out there!  I have struggled with remembering students names since I first started teaching, but over the last decade, I've slowly developed a few techniques and activities that help even me learn students' names quickly and remember them after the first week or two of classes.  Here are my thoughts...head over to the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to connect and share your input!Theme Music by GB Mystical: gbmystical.com

It's Choreography Month!  All month long, I'll be sharing ideas and information on the process of choreography - from coming up with an original concept to teaching your students the steps!  Today I had the joy of chatting with Chelsea Weidmann - i.e. GeekyBallerina - about her system for identifying and teaching elements of artistry in dance class.  How does this tie in with neck massage, cultural education, neurodiversity, and tricking people into teaching you how to teach...?!  You'll just have to listen to find out!Join me in the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to share your feedback and ideas!Theme Music by GBMystical: gbmystical.com

It's Choreography Month!  All month long, I'll be sharing ideas and information on the process of choreography - from coming up with an original concept to teaching your students the steps!  In this week's episode we finally get into actually teaching the choreography to your students.  Hear Maia's specific model for notating and teaching choreography in a classroom setting - it's not as simple as just starting from the beginning and teaching a dance step by step!  Join me in the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to share your feedback and ideas!Theme Music by GBMystical: gbmystical.com

It's Choreography Month!  All month long, I'll be sharing ideas and information on the process of choreography - from coming up with an original concept to teaching your students the steps!  This week you've got your theme and some steps, but where do you put them?!  Here are some ideas on blocking, coming up with transitions between different formations and/or sections of your dance, and keeping it all theme-focused!Join me in the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to share your feedback and ideas!Theme Music by GBMystical: gbmystical.com

It's Choreography Month!  All month long, I'll be sharing ideas and information on the process of choreography - from coming up with an original concept to teaching your students the steps!  This week's episode is the only episode about the actual "steps" themselves!  Here are some of my ideas for coming up with original movement, getting through moments where you're "stuck," and keeping the steps focused on your theme!Join me in the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to share your feedback and ideas!Theme Music by GBMystical: gbmystical.com

It's Choreography Month!  All month long, I'll be sharing ideas and information on the process of choreography - from coming up with an original concept to teaching your students the steps!  This week's episode is all about choosing the music and/or theme for your dance.  The options are infinite, but what factors should we prioritize to narrow it down?  What if we're stuck and feel like we have no original ideas?  Do we even have to have a theme for our recital dances?  Join me in the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to share your feedback and ideas!Theme Music by GBMystical: gbmystical.com

The opportunities to use props, tools, games, and physical objects of all kinds in dance class to engage and motivate your students are endless!  In today's episode, Maia shares just a few of her tried-and-true ideas - broken up into three different age categories to help you engage and inspire your students of all ages!  Head over to the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to connect and share your input!Theme Music by GB Mystical: gbmystical.com

Erika Mayall is a dance physiotherapist and the host of The Dance Physio Podcast.  I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak with her about how to prevent injuries in our students, teach through injuries in the classroom, encourage healthy warm-up practices, and more!Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comRecorded Via Squadcast.

Laura Ward Moran is an experienced dance educator, business owner, and founder of the college preparatory dance program at The John Carroll School in Bel Air, MD.  In this episode, Laura shares insights on how all dance teachers can prepare their students - however "casual" they may be - for post-high-school dance experiences, education, and careers!  In addition to the valuable advice shared in this episode, Laura offers life coaching and dance and fitness mentoring services through her business, Unparalleled Pursuits.Join us in the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to discuss the episode! Theme music by GB Mystical: gbmystical.comI record using squadcast - check it out for smooth audio and video calls and recording, transcripts, and more, regardless of internet speeds:  https://squadcast.fm/?ref=ndzjmgi

Megan Williams is the director of the Youth Instructional Dance Program at Fort Campbell, KY - a program exclusively for children of active duty and retired military families.  Her unique experience in this role is not only fascinating to learn about, but also comes with a lot of lessons that can be applied by dance educators in all kinds of programs!  Learn how Megan cultivates a life-long love of dance through a program where the average student moves every one to two years!  Megan also shares insight about the military guidelines under which she operates, navigating cultural and communication differences with students, and supporting her students in their transitions to new studios. Join us to discuss in the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook! Theme Music by GB Mystical

Pirouettes - Let's Talk About It!  Pirouettes, or turns in general, seem to be at the forefront of dance media, but are they really THAT big a part of what we do?  Join me as I explore the relevance of pirouettes in casual dance training, as well as just a couple of my personal methods for teaching this skill.  Let's keep the conversation going in the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook!Theme Music by GB Mystical

Genevieve Fuller joins us in this episode to share some practical tips and exercises that can be implemented in any dance classroom to ease stress, facilitate mental and emotional well-being, and equip students with the tools and skills to use movement and body-based practices to regulate their own mental health outside the classroom.Genevieve is a board-certified dance/movement therapist (BC-DMT) and licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) in Massachusetts, and owns her own therapy practice using dance/movement therapy informed EMDR with adults who have experienced trauma or other lived experiences that are having a negative impact on their life.  You can connect with Genevieve and/or learn more about her practice at www.genevievefuller.com.

While most of us love music, sometimes choosing music for our dance classes can be daunting!  In this episode, I share my tips for curating and organizing playlists for a variety of styles of dance with music that's age appropriate, varied, and engaging for both you and your students!  Join me in The Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to contribute your own ideas!