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Creative ID: 240

Art form(s): Dance
Language(s): English
Based in: Waikato
Where I'm available:
Waikato
Waikato: Hamilton with surrounding towns a possibility
When I'm available: Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursdays during the school day (all day). For additional days please contact me to negotiate.

My arts or creative practice (including details about my specific focus within that art form/practice and my strengths)

I am a dancer and dance educator. My specific focus within dance is dance education. I am the artistic director of my Dance Company, aiming at providing quality dance education, creative dance making, and performance opportunities for schools/kura and community (afterschool classes). I am happy to send my CV including references to any interested school or kura upon request. 

My track record of experience and success - or the track record of experience and success of the creative or artist that I will partner with

I have five years experience teaching dance to children in recreation and school settings. I am currently the Artistic Director and Owner of my Dance Company, aiming at providing quality dance education, creative dance making, and performance opportunities for schools/kura and community (after-school classes) since 2019. Additionally, I am a currently practicing dance teacher at local arts academy and the past coordinator of the dance programme at the local recreation center. This experience includes more than transmission of dance skills, and includes development of curriculum, term and lesson planning, and the production of performances/community events. I have previously delivered a successful block programme of dance curriculum to my local primary school and Early Childhood Centre (kindergarten) which was enjoyed well by children and received positive feedback from teachers/kaiko. Prior to teaching I completed a 4 year undergraduate dance programme in the USA that included technical study in ballet, contemporary, world, and ballroom dance styles, anatomy, kinesiology, dance history, dance topics relating to culture, identity, etc., dance pedagogy (ballet/world), music for dancers, choreography, performance, etc. Recently, I completed a Masters degree in Health, Sport, and Human Performance from University of Waikato. My thesis explored transformative dance pedagogy for children 5-12.

Describe the experience you have had working with children or young people, teaching or facilitating creative processes

I have had six years experience working with children/youth ages 2-teenage (mostly 2-12), in recreation and dance settings, as a dance teacher and gymnastics coach. My children's dance classes come from a creative dance education viewpoint where I encourage young people to contribute their own ideas and improvisations in association with technique and skills nurtured by the teacher to create dance works. I have taught dance in an ECE centre and in a primary school (both over a block/term). 

Why I want to be part of the Creatives in Schools programme and how my involvement will link to my creative practice

I am an educator at heart and my practice as a dance teacher is education based rather than training based. I teach dance from the perspective of creativity, collaboration, context, concept based pedagogy. My dance experience 'training', which has been based beyond just the studio, including schools, community, whanau, and tertiary education (undergraduate dance major and Masters research) has informed this practice. I have a very wide technical range within a breadth of styles and contextual/cultural experience with dance in numerous settings and for several purposes, enabling me to teach beyond the steps. Therefore, how I teach aligns with the school arts curriculum and this is why I seek to teach in this setting. I love education and look forward to becoming a registered teacher in the future but am looking for more flexible options as I am a mother of young school-aged children. The Creatives in Schools programme is an exciting opportunity to work in my artistic specialty and education that I look forward to participating in.

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