In today's special bonus episode of The Casual Dance Teacher's Podcast, I chat with decorated choreographer Tiffany Rea-Fisher about her work as a choreographer for Classical Theatre of Harlem, including (but not limited to!) how the process of choreographing for theatrical productions differs from concert dance, how Tiffany's background as a competitive dancer shaped her career, the traits she looks for in dancers auditioning for theatrical productions vs. for her company, and a little teaser a...
May 16, 2025•42 min•Ep. 49
Oh my goodness, it's the end of season one of the Casual Dance Teacher's Podcast! We're wrapping up with a quick recap of the amazing highlights of season one, how you can keep up with The Casual Dance Teacher's Network during our brief hiatus, and what's to come! Big thanks for a great first season, and see you in season two! Theme Music by GBMystical! www.gbmystical.com Join the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook Here Follow me on Reddit Here Follow our Instagram account Here Please Le...
Apr 25, 2025•9 min•Ep. 48
How can I stay up-to-date on the latest dance news without falling down a social media rabbit-hole? How can I convey current dance events to my dance students without taking up all our class time? What trends are happening in the world of dance, and the way that we consume dance media? In this episode, I delve into all of these questions and much more with Dance News Daily founder Danielle Guillermo! Check out Dance News Daily Here Theme Music by GBMystical! www.gbmystical.com Recorded Via Squad...
Apr 18, 2025•33 min•Ep. 47
Are you interested in offering dance programming for adult dancers either picking up dance for the first time or continuing their education after time away from dance? Do you currently offer adult programming but feel that it's not quite working or you have questions and challenges to work through to improve your teaching? Lindsey Dinneen is here today sharing TONS of knowledge around how to approach teaching adult beginners. Lindsey started her very own continuing education dance program for ad...
Apr 11, 2025•28 min•Ep. 45
The great debate - should you organize your dance class levels by age, or by technical level? Today's episode isn't really about defending one side or the other on this one, but I'm sharing my insight on the strengths of breaking up classes by skill level, even if that means including a wide range of ages within a class, followed by some tips for training dancers within a mixed-age classroom, where age discrepancy can come with its own set of challenges. Theme Music by GBMystical! www.gbmystical...
Apr 04, 2025•20 min•Ep. 46
You can have all the drills, exercises, and teacher "hacks" in the world, but if there's not meaning and intention behind everything you and your students are doing in the dance classroom, what's it all for?! Acclaimed dancer, choreographer, scholar & educator Anabella Lenzu joins us to explain her philosophy and theory of dance education, and how she helps students understand that their body is an instrument for expression. Get Anabella's book and learn more about her work Here Theme Music ...
Mar 28, 2025•32 min•Ep. 44
Wrapping up our "recital prep" unit on the podcast, I thought it would be fun to share a breakdown of everything I make sure to have with me in my dance bag during tech week! As a mega-planner, I feel like I'm pretty thorough, covering everything from snacks to spare bobby pins - so give it a listen to make sure you're fully stocked and prepared going into your own recital week! Theme Music by GBMystical! www.gbmystical.com Join the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook Here Follow me on Re...
Mar 21, 2025•17 min•Ep. 43
Next up in our "recital prep" unit on the podcast are some of my favorite ways to get recital dances clean without boring your students (too much 🙂). What's your favorite? Let me know in The Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook! Theme Music by GBMystical! www.gbmystical.com Join the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook Here Follow me on Reddit Here Follow me on Instagram Here Please Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify! <3...
Mar 14, 2025•18 min•Ep. 42
We're kicking off a new "recital prep" unit on the podcast with today's episode taking you line by line through my mental checklist of items I need to cover with my students to make sure both I and they are fully prepared going into tech week! This includes lighting and sound cues, entrance and exit logistics, hair, makeup, and costume requirements, rehearsal and recital etiquette and more! Did I miss anything? Let me know in The Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook! Theme Music by GBMysti...
Mar 07, 2025•25 min•Ep. 41
Dancer, educator, choreographer (and more) Jason Pickett, who you may better know as @heyitspickett on social media, is here to talk us through his process for creating innovative and meaningful solos for dance students. I personally find solos so challenging to choreograph because I can't lean on the use of different formations and/or layering of bodies doing different movements, so I was delighted at the opportunity to talk to a true pro on the topic - and I may have been personally attacked a...
Feb 28, 2025•34 min•Ep. 40
Today I'm breaking my own "we don't need business advice; we're casual dance teachers" rule by having dance studio owner and business coach Alison Foster-Jones on the show to share her story and tips on growing a studio from 5 students in a rec. room to hundreds of students across multiple studio locations! Alison has such a great message of leveraging passion and positivity for business success that can be applied to any business venture, from owning a studio, to negotiating freelance contracts...
Feb 21, 2025•37 min•Ep. 39
Love is in the air! <3 In honor of Valentine's day, today I'm reading listener-submitted notes on why YOU love teaching dance! Cozy up with your Valentine's treat of choice and join me in celebrating our collective love for the art of teaching dance together! Theme Music by GBMystical! www.gbmystical.com Join the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook Here Follow me on Reddit Here Follow me on Instagram Here Please Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify! <3...
Feb 14, 2025•18 min•Ep. 38
Ian Howe is Back! And today we're talking dance photography! The burning question on my mind - what made the man with 500 jobs decide to start a dance photography business on top of all that? Then we get into some more practical questions like: What are the basics needed to do your own dance photography? How to pose dancers quickly and efficiently for recital photos without them all looking the same? What factors should we look for in lighting, posing, and editing when hiring a dance photographe...
Feb 07, 2025•28 min•Ep. 37
I know I can't be the only teacher that just dreads that awkward transition time when you're dismissing one class and the next is waiting to begin! How will I dismiss everyone safely, take attendance, switch my playlist, answer questions, check my notes, and grab a drink of water without the next class descending into chaos?! Well, I might not have all the answers, but I certainly have a few activities and ideas that have helped me fend off the madness of class transition time over the past few ...
Jan 31, 2025•28 min•Ep. 36
Ok, so if you read the title, you won't have to guess what the "Secret Dance Technique" is, as I suggest in the intro to this episode - it's MENTAL technique! April Lorenzi literally wrote the book on it, so she's here to share some her tried-and-true tips for helping your students (and yourself) enhance their confidence, resilience, memory - and, in turn, their dancing!! Learn more and Get April's Book Here! Theme Music by GBMystical! www.gbmystical.com Recorded Via Squadcast Join the Casual Da...
Jan 24, 2025•24 min•Ep. 35
It's that time of year...the pressure's on to teach recital choreography, and so often that means "sacrificing" the class time previously spent on technique and conditioning. Naturally, we have to continue working technique and conditioning in order for the choreography to look its best at recital time...sometimes, that can mean running the choreography over and over again. But other times, additional measures are required to get your dancers performance-ready, and it can be easy to forget those...
Jan 17, 2025•17 min•Ep. 34
Whether or not you teach tap dance specifically, you're in for a treat with this episode with the fabulous Christine Denny! Denny is a renowned tap teacher, choreographer, and performer with a career spanning over 25 years and covering virtually every facet of the dance world. Learn about the intricacies of tap dance and what makes teaching tap unique, as well as some of the practical applications of Christine's approach that can be used across a wide variety of dance styles, and more! Visit Chr...
Jan 10, 2025•31 min•Ep. 33
Veronica Vasquez Garcia is the creator of Moves Made 4 Me, a developmental movement program that combines life skills with dance, as well as the founder of Elevate Collective Solutions, a consulting business that helps organizations implement inclusive practices, and JMM Dance Co, a nonprofit dedicated to raising mental health awareness through SEL programs. While we couldn't possibly cover the vast breadth of her work in this field, I was thrilled to spend some time picking Veronica's brain abo...
Jan 03, 2025•29 min•Ep. 32
Wow - what a year! Since launching in June, I've learned SO MUCH from my amazing line-up of distinguished guests, and from connecting with listeners and fellow "Casual Dance Teachers" through our Casual Dance Teacher's Network Facebook page and Casual Dance Teacher's Podcast Instagram account! To recap this phenomenal year, here's a casual and low-key recap of my personal favorite lessons learned so far this year! *As noted in the episode, you will notice a slightly distorted sound quality on th...
Dec 27, 2024•24 min•Ep. 31
The word of the day is "Diversify!" Hear from Choreographer, Studio Owner, Competition Adjudicator, Teacher, Photographer, Performer...basically ALL THE THINGS...Ian Howe as he discusses how he leveraged the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic to build a dance career that fuels his passion and "scratches all the itches," and his advice on how you can follow suit! Theme Music by GBMystical! www.gbmystical.com Recorded Via Squadcast Learn more about Ian Howe and his many projects here: www.i...
Dec 20, 2024•28 min•Ep. 30
So by now we've established that we SHOULD have at least a general curriculum and lesson plans for each of the dance classes that we teach...but as busy dance teachers, when are we supposed to sit down and come up with these plans? There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this, but I have a few tips and tricks for how to make the most of your time to squeeze in adequate lesson planning time consistently each and every week, ensuring that you feel prepared for each class, and your students get the ...
Dec 13, 2024•15 min•Ep. 23
There are a LOT of dance teachers and coaches out there, but most specialize in coaching technique, steps/skills, consistency...few specialize in coaching artistry specifically! Amie Bush does just that with her company, Artistry Dance Coaching, and today she's treating us to an inside scoop on what she looks for from an artistry perspective as both a competition judge and coach, and how she helps dancers develop these skills! Check out this episode with Isaac Iskra regarding his journey as an a...
Dec 06, 2024•34 min•Ep. 29
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Time for season's greetings, holiday cheer, and students (and teachers!) who are already mentally checked out and ready for a break from dance classes! 😆 I've got you covered! Here are plenty of simple and fun ways to incorporate the holiday theme into your dance classes while still keeping students working on key concepts and engaging with the material! No Pinterest dance teachers here - these are all simple and super easy to implement on the fly! For ...
Nov 29, 2024•23 min•Ep. 28
There are a LOT of dance teachers and coaches out there, but most specialize in coaching technique, steps/skills, consistency...few specialize in coaching artistry specifically! Amie Bush does just that with her company, Artistry Dance Coaching, and today she's treating us to an inside scoop on what she looks for from an artistry perspective as both a competition judge and coach, and how she helps dancers develop these skills! For more resources regarding artistry, check out this episode with Ch...
Nov 22, 2024•23 min•Ep. 27
Ugh, trick steps; I love to hate 'em! As casual dance teachers, should we be teaching our students trick steps? Do they have a place in EVERY style of dance? Can we create a curriculum that focuses on fundamentals and classical training while still incorporating "tricks?" Join me as I rant - I mean discuss - the wild world of teaching trick steps as a casual dance teacher. Join the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook ! Theme Music by GB Mystical: gbmystical.com Listen to the previous epis...
Nov 15, 2024•15 min•Ep. 26
Olivia Lou is a dance educator and competition adjudicator here to tell us how to prepare any and all students to attend a dance competition - regardless of their level of training or the number of hours a week they spend in the studio. We talk about the pros and cons of competitive dance, how to mentally and physically prepare students for the experience, and what makes a piece stand out in a competitive setting...plus a first for me - threatening to fight one of my podcast guests over an opini...
Nov 08, 2024•31 min•Ep. 24
Today's episode is a follow-up on episode number 22 with guest Isaac Iskra. After reflecting upon that conversation, I decided (on a last-minute whim that forced me to record and edit this episode in record time!) that I had some follow-up thoughts on my own experience that I wanted to share. The tips that I share in this episode are informed by the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, therapy, which I mention in the episode is a controversial practice, and has been rejected by many me...
Nov 01, 2024•20 min•Ep. 25
In today's episode, Isaac Iskra, founder of Nefelaba Dance Theater, shares his experience in developing his craft as a dancer and choreographer with Autism. In addition to walking us through his own journey both in pursuing a dance career and gaining a formal autism diagnosis in his twenties, Isaac shares his thoughts and advice on providing accommodations for neurodivergent dance students and audience members, pursuing a career as an artist, and supporting autistic creators. Theme Music by GBMy...
Oct 24, 2024•25 min•Ep. 22
Today Rachel Jenks, aka "The Booty-Kicking Ballerina," shares her story of completely running her body into the ground in pursuit of her dream career as a professional ballet dancer, followed by her long journey of recovery, starting with mental healing, which eventually led her to physical healing as well. Rachel also shares plenty of practical tips for how we as dance teachers can "partner with our bodies" both mentally and physically to be the best dance teachers we can be without pushing our...
Oct 18, 2024•38 min•Ep. 21
Nicole Perry is an intimacy director, intimacy coordinator, and dance choreographer who's worked in film, theater, and dance to empower and educate performers on understanding and working with their personal boundaries. Join me as I get the very basics on what consent in the dance classroom is all about, and then delve into what a consent-informed approach to dance education looks like from a practical standpoint, and why we NEED to talk about it! Discount Code for Nicole's Teaching Resources: D...
Oct 11, 2024•28 min•Ep. 20
