Philosophy of Teaching

First and foremost, I abide by the principle that each individual is unique. We each have our personal life experiences that influence how we perceive the world around us, and each person’s perception is their reality. All people are welcome to share the space with me and any and all experiences are valid.

Regardless of personal goals in dance, I value each student and work to help them achieve their desired results in a nurturing and inclusive environment. I aim to incorporate modern scientific literature in my teaching, particularly regarding posture, proper alignment, and injury prevention as well as injury aftercare. Nutrition, rest, and proper foundational technique are important for the safety and well being of all students of all ages and abilities. Therefore, I place a particular emphasis on a holistic and well-grounded approach to learning, taking care to address each student’s individual physiological, psychological, and artistic needs.

My teaching principles in classical ballet are drawn primarily from the Russian Vaganova style, with influences of Balanchine. Training from the age of 8 with highly qualified instructors from Russia and across the US has given me an in-depth understanding of the history, practice, and techniques of ballet, all of which I relay to my students. My rigorous training in pointe work, partnering, and classical variations has given me exposure to a wide array of repertoire, which I incorporate into my teaching.

In addition to classical ballet, my teaching principles draw from my intensive training in character dance (Spanish, Hungarian, Russian), contemporary, neoclassical styles, composition, and improvisational practices. I believe that diversity, versatility, and adaptability are core elements of a well-rounded dancer. Therefore, I am intentional in incorporating as many schools of thought and styles of dance as possible in my teaching.

Mental health and wellness is a critical element in my teaching philosophy, especially as I have personally experienced significant distress in the field of dance. I prioritize students’ mental health just as much as I do their physical fitness, and strongly believe that students perform best when at their healthiest holistically. 

I strive to cultivate an inclusive and open environment, where students feel comfortable expressing themselves. Just as dance can be a release of physical energy, it can serve as a cathartic release of emotions. My job as an educator is to provide students with the foundation to express their artistic minds freely and the space to do so without criticism. Thus, I greatly value interactions with students and the opportunity to understand them as individuals. Engagement is emphasized during classes to encourage open communication and further strengthen the welcoming environment. I want students to feel safe experimenting in their bodies and knowing that they have the utmost support of instructors and fellow peers.

As an Asian immigrant woman with multiple intersecting identities, culturally responsive pedagogy is especially pertinent to my teaching philosophy. Culturally responsive or culturally relevant pedagogy is the practice of conducting the necessary research in order to fully understand each individual person’s cultural background, which informs their beliefs, morals, etc. By acknowledging that everyone has different cultural backgrounds, the teacher is able to better support each student and their individual needs.

One of the ways I incorporate inclusion into my dance classes is by not requiring a gendered dress code or a dress code at all (besides clothes that they feel comfortable moving their body in). Not only may this make non-binary and gender-queer folks feel more comfortable dancing in class, but it will also help mitigate the negative effects that dance can have on everyone’s body image.

I understand the responsibilities that are placed on myself as an educator and am deeply invested in re-learning, un-learning, and staying up to date with current practices, research, and repertoire. I am deeply passionate about child and adolescent development, particularly in their formative years, and believe that as educators we play an incredibly crucial role in children’s growth physically, mentally, spiritually, and artistically. I am committed to providing my students with the proper foundational technique to stay healthy holistically and a nurturing, inclusive environment in which they feel safe and comfortable exploring and expressing themselves as individuals.