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 years, so I'm sharing them with you today!

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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!

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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 when we feel the "choreography crunch!" Here are a few of the ways that I continue to incorporate technique practice, core concept awareness, conditioning, and general performance preparedness into my lessons throughout the second half of the dance season while setting choreography on my students.

Other episodes referenced in this episode:
Listen to the "Curriculum Building" Episode Here
Listen to the "Teaching Choreography" Episode Here

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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 Christine's website to learn more about her programs and syllabus here.
Register for Christine's online tap mentor conference here.

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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 about how she developed her curriculum program specifically for individuals with disabilities, and how anyone in the field of dance education can be more inclusive to these students, not necessarily by allowing them to join their pre-existing classes, but by implementing programs that will genuinely serve them.

Get more information on the Moves Made 4 Me program here, or reach out to Veronica directly via info@elevatecollectivesolutions.com

Additional Episodes Related to this Topic:
Listen to "An Autistic Perspective on Choreography and Dance Education with Isaac Iskra" Here
Listen to "Applied Behavior Analysis Practices for Dance Teachers" Here
Listen to "Dance Education as Ministry with Maria Daniel" Here

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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 this one; my holiday gift to myself was just letting this one slide so I can work on much more streamlined and beautiful-sounding episodes for you in the new year :)*

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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!

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Learn more about Ian Howe and his many projects here: www.ianhowedancer.com

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 most out of their class time with you!
Please share your own ideas and advice on this topic with us in the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook!

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