Teaching

Teaching Philosophy

Through enthusiasm, imagery, experiential anatomy, and constructive feedback, I create safe and instructive environments for students to learn dance. A balance of theory, investigation, application, and reflection supports student success. I expect students to engage fully with the material and take responsibility for their own learning, while I actively invest in helping each student pursue their individual goals as dancers. Instruction is tailored to be thorough and level-appropriate, and I utilize a variety of teaching strategies and imagery to support course concepts. 

A key tool in my teaching is experiential anatomy, exploring how specific muscles, joints, and bones function when executing technique efficiently. Students participate in exercises that apply this knowledge to movement and shift their focus from external execution to internal awareness. I encourage students to replace the idea of “wrong” with “different,” especially when changing ingrained movement patterns. This fosters a learning environment where students feel safe to explore and assess without fear of judgment.

I assess learning through self-awareness, peer feedback, and self-reflection. Students engage in group activities and observation, which give them opportunities to learn from one another while allowing me to assess retention. Self-reflective writing assignments further encourage critical thinking and help students track their progress and growth throughout the semester. As an educator, I view the classroom as a space where both students and I are learners, continually deepening our understanding of dance and the learning process itself. My passion for teaching and movement is central to my approach, and I strive for that passion to inspire students in reaching their goals.

Teaching Examples

Please email allenkarryn@gmail.com for access to the full example teaching videos.

Summary