I believe that the role of a teacher is to serve as a facilitator, guiding students in transforming their biases, stereotypes, and ideologies. This transformation is facilitated through an understanding of their identities, the world they inhabit, and their potential contributions as global citizens, using a holistic approach to the body that encompasses cognition, emotion, sensation, and the flow of energy through movement. As a facilitator, I emphasize that the learning environment itself, including the emotive atmosphere, sound environment, spatial structures, and technological resources, also possesses agency and significantly influences learning. My goal is to foster an inclusive dance classroom where all students, particularly those from traditionally marginalized backgrounds, feel welcomed, embraced, and empowered to express themselves.

 

To create an inclusive classroom, I am conscious of my position of authority and strive to be mindful of students' perspectives in planning, teaching, and assessing their progress. Drawing from my own experiences as a student, I aim to democratize the classroom, allowing students to share in the ownership of their learning process. Aligned with progressive pedagogy, I recognize that different individuals may understand topics uniquely, highlighting that there are multiple perspectives and ways of knowing. This approach opens up learning as a dynamic, multi-directional process akin to Deleuze's concept of the rhizome, emphasizing that knowledge is not only absorbed from teachers and textbooks but also discovered through self-reflection and peer interactions.

 

I am committed to creating a supportive learning environment by building trust among students. I make an effort to learn about their interests, circumstances, and educational needs. I ask students to sit in circular formations to encourage sharing and interaction, and students are invited to engage deeply with bodily sensations, including their feelings and emotions, during learning new techniques. Group activities and pair work are integral to my teaching, promoting learning through dialogue. Moreover, I encourage students to participate in deciding their assessment methods, thereby reducing the dominance of my voice in the classroom.

 

I challenge traditional norms, such as gender roles in ballet, to ensure that all students feel comfortable experimenting with various dance techniques. Beyond the classroom, I encourage students to extend their critical inquiry and reflexivity into their community engagements, bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world applications. In this way, I not only guide learning within the studio but also mentor students in connecting their dance education to broader societal contexts.