All Grade Levels, Dance, Music & Poetry, Teaching experience in Schools, Arts & Above
DISCIPLINE // Dance, Music, Poetry
TEACHING ARTIST STATEMENT // “I have taught a variety of dance disciplines and styles for amateurs and professionals across the country, and overseas, for the last 18 years. My experience includes master classes, residencies, and on-going classes in public schools, private schools, universities, community centers, and professional training programs. In the public schools setting, I have taught in-school-time residencies, as well as after school programs such as the D.A.R.E. Dance Program, and the Presidentially acclaimed CityDance D.R.E.A.M. Program in the Washington D.C. public school system.
I make art that comes from within. I often pull from my personal experiences to extract the relevance of the work. Rather than an exercise, my work is an expression of how I understand life. I emphasize the training of the body, the conditioning of the mind, and the awareness of the soul. I learn when I teach, and that is why I teach. I utilize my knowledge in classical ballet, Afro Cuban modern dance technique, Tai-Chi, and Capoeira, as well as pedestrian and natural human movement. I believe in the importance of coordination, and natural breathing.”
PROGRAM & RESIDENCY DESCRIPTION //
Where the Wild Things Move
A Residency with Kate Jordan and Bruno Augusto of Arts & Above
This in-school time residency exposes students to creative practices and physical training through the use of props.
The students will start with a dance based warm-up that utilizes colorful plastic milk crates. This warm-up is intended to build physical strength, agility, coordination and spacial awareness.
They will then engage in small group movement assignments with the props, intended to build teamwork and problem solving skills. For example, students may be prompted to use the crates as obstacles in a jungle to navigate through, or treat them as memories of people that are important in their lives.
The residency will culminate with an informal presentation by the students, showcasing the result of their explorations. This is an opportunity for them to tell their stories, develop their individuality, and become comfortable in front of a peer audience.
GRADE LEVELS // Elementary School – Middle School – High School
CONTACT INFORMATION // (510) 829-4434 // Email
EDUCATION//EXPERIENCE//BADGES EARNED //
Diploma in Dance Performance and instruction of Afro-Cuban Modern Dance from the National School of the Arts, Havana, Cuba.
B.F.A. in Dance Performance from Towson University, MD
M.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, NY
Artists As Educators: Refining Your Practice
