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The Lesson Within the Lessons

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Teacher article

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None

As dance teachers we are clear on our role to teach our students proper technique and performance skills. However, as generations are continually changing, so is the world in which they are growing up in. Perhaps a traditionalist to some extent, it is my belief that certain etiquette, good habits and respect for the dance studio is becoming a lost value within some training programs. Furthermore, while the dance studio is many times a student’s 'home-away-from-home,' we also become example-setters; instilling rules, discipline and boundaries of our own for the welfare of our students. While it is a fine line to be cognizant of what some parents could misconstrue as overstepping their parental rights, it is always important to reassure them and be clear that the studio and teachers’ mission is undoubtedly in the best interest of their children and studio community. In essence, we are helping to not only train the dancer but also produce polite, humble and respectful professionals. In my experience, parents most often come to appreciate this reinforcement of lesson implementation; which they are already trying to instill at home. This consistency and follow-through are always recipes for success.

Author

Jessica Rizzo Stafford

Jessica Rizzo Stafford

Jessica Rizzo Stafford is a native New Yorker and graduate of NYU Steinhardt's Dance Education Master’s Program; with a PK-12 New York State Teaching Certification. Her double-concentration Master’s Degree includes PK-12 pedagogy and dance education within the higher-education discipline. She also holds a BFA in dance performance from the UMASS Amherst 5 College Dance Program where she was a Chancellor's Talent Award recipient. Jess now works extensively with children, adolescents and professionals as choreographer and teacher and conducts national and international master-classes specializing in the genres of modern, contemporary, musical theatre and choreography-composition. Jess’ national and international performance career includes works such as: The National Tour of Guys & Dolls, The European Tour of Grease, West Side Story, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, Salute to Dudley Moore at Carnegie Hall, guest-dancer with the World Famous Pontani Sisters and IMPULSE Modern Dance Company. Jess has been a faculty member for the Perichild Program & Peridance Youth Ensemble & taught contemporary and jazz at the historic New Dance Group and 92nd Street Y in NYC. She was Company Director at the historic Steffi Nossen School of Dance/Dance in Education Fund and in 2008 traveled to Uganda where she taught creative-movement to misplaced children. The experience culminated with Jess being selected as a featured instructor at the Queen's Kampala Ballet & Modern Dance School. She has conducted workshops for the cast of LA REVE at the Wynn, Las Vegas and recently taught at the 2011 IDS International Dance Teacher Conference at The Royal Ballet in London, UK. She is also on faculty for the annual Dance Teacher Web Conferences in Las Vegas, NV. Currently, Jess is a faculty member at the D'Valda & Sirico Dance & Music Centre and master teacher & adjudicator for various national and international dance competitions. Recently, she has finished her NYU Master’s thesis research on the choreographic process of technically advanced adolescent dancers and is the creator of “PROJECT C;” a choreography-composition curriculum for the private studio sector. Jess is also faculty member, contributing writer and presenter in the choreography and “how to” teaching segments on the celebrated danceteacherweb.com. For more info, visit her website at www.jrizzo.net.

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