Developing Professional Development

Today I taught a warm-up (I was so nervous!) at a professional development at Lincoln Center for New York City Ballet. Classroom teachers from New York City Public Schools came to the rehearsal studios to learn about ballet and meet their teaching artists. Here is the word wall I created for the warm-up. The teachers loved it because they they could see how to connect dance to their classroom. I love educating non-dancers about a genre of dance, especially ballet! What do you think of my little stick figures? I'm not an drawing artist, but I thought they turned out clear enough that if students (or teachers) had to refer to them they could and they would know what the movement looks like.

Have you ever had to develop a professional development workshop for non-dancers? What worked and what didn't work? Tell me about it, I would love to hear!

In the meantime movecreateeducate...

Arabesque with a Rose

Today in my creative ballet class of 3 year olds I had in my plan to teach arabesque and I also had in the lesson to create with these sparkly red (they love to say they are pink) roses! As I was teaching I had a total move-create-educate moment and thought "I can teach arabesque with these lovely roses" I find that my best lessons come when they aren't planned, they just come to me while the kids are in front of me. Does this happen to anyone else?

First we practiced curtsey with the roses like we were on stage. Then I told them to put their rose in one hand and reach it way up high. I then told them to tendu (we learned this earlier in the class) in the back. I didn't worry so much about it being the opposite foot yet. I just wanted them to get the hang of one arm reaching with the flower! It really worked because the moms came in and the girls demonstrated the arabesque without the rose... what a great lesson with a beautiful rose!

Do any of you use fun or silly props to teach a lesson or step? I would love to hear!

In the meantime movecreateeducate...

p.s. I found these roses at Target during valentines day.... yes I know I use them all year round! What a great find!

Inspiration

Inspiration Software- I used this in graduate school and is a must have for any dance teacher! I have been using it lately to organize my thoughts for my curriculum design of tap, ballet, and creative movement. I hope it will help you as much as it helps me! I just saw on their website that they have a Kidspiration too! I wonder how different they are?

Does anyone else use these tools or have different tools to write their curriculum? I would love to hear!

On Center Magazine!

Meet my new friends from On Center Magazine! Micheal Smith and Sasha Fornari founded On Center Magazine in April 2008! You have to check this out.. a dance photography magazine, where they photograph dancers out of context and put them in a magazine for you to buy! And you can be a contributor, how cool is that!

This Is It

Some people were just born to dance...

Costume Quilts

Who has a trillion recital costumes taking up space in their parents basement? Pick me! Pick me! I have no idea why I didn't think of this before! What a great way to gather all of the memories!

(P.S. Mom, we should do this! It would give you a lot more space in the basement!)

Vegan Ballet Shoes

Vegan Ballet Shoes? Wow! I am positive that if every dance studio had their students buy these we could make a big difference! Find out more information about them here! Very cost effective as you will see. My next pair of ballet shoes will be these beauties!