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This is the podcast for us dance teachers balancing our teaching job with other jobs, commitments, and just life in general! We don't need to know how to run the whole studio, work with students 20+ hours a week, or win big at competitions; we just want practical advice and real conversations about how to be the best dance teachers we can be with the little time we have with our students. Join Maia on the casual dance teacher's podcast and in the casual dance teacher's network on Facebook.
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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 a…
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Competition Prep for Recreational Dancers with Olivia Lou
31:18
31:18
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31:18
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 exp…
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Applied Behavior Analysis Practices for Dance Teachers
19:32
19:32
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19:32
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 th…
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An Autistic Perspective on Choreography and Dance Education with Isaac Iskra
24:34
24:34
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24:34
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 accomm…
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Body and Mind Self-Care for Dance Teachers with Rachel Jenks
38:26
38:26
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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 ti…
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Consent-Informed Dance Education with Nicole Perry
27:51
27:51
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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 …
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Fall Fun! Halloween and Fall-Themed Ideas for Dance Classes.
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16:09
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Say it with me...WE LOVE A THEME! Here are a few of my favorite Halloween and fall-themed activities to implement all month long for fun and engaging classes (without slacking on instructional value)! Head over to the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to connect and share your input! Theme Music by GB Mystical: gbmystical.com…
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Teaching Culturally Sensitive Hip-Hop with Neo Lynch
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28:01
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If you teach Hip-Hop, or are planning to teach Hip-Hop at any point in the future, you NEED to listen to this amazing crash-course from today's special guest, Neo Lynch! Neo breaks down her own background in Hip-Hop and understanding the differences in styles across geographic regions, and how she incorporates the rich history and culture of hip-ho…
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Dance Education as Ministry with Maria Daniel
28:37
28:37
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28:37
Multi-Award-Winning choreographer, educator, author, lawyer and mentor Maria Daniel joins us today to talk about her program iDance Ministry, "Project BrOKen," and how she leveraged her gift for dance into acclaimed programs that teach, heal, and inspire individuals who may be struggling with physical, mental, or cultural barriers, or just need a s…
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“Dancetok” and Navigating Teaching in the Social Media Era with Alicia Mae Holloway
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23:44
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After 16 episodes, most of you know that I have a tendency to hate on TikTok, Dance Influencers, and Social Media in general, so buckle up for this one! On today's episode, I had the immense privilege of interviewing Alicia Mae Holloway, former Dance Theatre of Harlem and Suzanne Farrell Ballet dancer, who also happens to be a model, influencer, an…
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Back to Class - Activities and Tips to Learn Students' Names Fast!
16:31
16:31
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Hello and welcome from one of the WORST name-learners out there! I have struggled with remembering students names since I first started teaching, but over the last decade, I've slowly developed a few techniques and activities that help even me learn students' names quickly and remember them after the first week or two of classes. Here are my though…
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Choreography Month Week 5: Elements of Artistry with Chelsea Weidmann
26:25
26:25
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It's Choreography Month! All month long, I'll be sharing ideas and information on the process of choreography - from coming up with an original concept to teaching your students the steps! Today I had the joy of chatting with Chelsea Weidmann - i.e. GeekyBallerina - about her system for identifying and teaching elements of artistry in dance class. …
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Choreography Month Week 4: Teaching the Choreography
17:45
17:45
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It's Choreography Month! All month long, I'll be sharing ideas and information on the process of choreography - from coming up with an original concept to teaching your students the steps! In this week's episode we finally get into actually teaching the choreography to your students. Hear Maia's specific model for notating and teaching choreography…
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Choreography Month Week 3: Formations and Spacing
18:55
18:55
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It's Choreography Month! All month long, I'll be sharing ideas and information on the process of choreography - from coming up with an original concept to teaching your students the steps! This week you've got your theme and some steps, but where do you put them?! Here are some ideas on blocking, coming up with transitions between different formati…
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Choreography Month Week 2: Coming up with Original Movement
19:41
19:41
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19:41
It's Choreography Month! All month long, I'll be sharing ideas and information on the process of choreography - from coming up with an original concept to teaching your students the steps! This week's episode is the only episode about the actual "steps" themselves! Here are some of my ideas for coming up with original movement, getting through mome…
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Choreography Month Week 1: Choosing a Theme and Music
16:13
16:13
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16:13
It's Choreography Month! All month long, I'll be sharing ideas and information on the process of choreography - from coming up with an original concept to teaching your students the steps! This week's episode is all about choosing the music and/or theme for your dance. The options are infinite, but what factors should we prioritize to narrow it dow…
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"The Mary Poppins of Dance" - Ideas to Make Classes More Engaging Using Props and Tools
21:35
21:35
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21:35
The opportunities to use props, tools, games, and physical objects of all kinds in dance class to engage and motivate your students are endless! In today's episode, Maia shares just a few of her tried-and-true ideas - broken up into three different age categories to help you engage and inspire your students of all ages! Head over to the Casual Danc…
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Preventing and Managing Injuries in Dance Class with Erika Mayall
21:49
21:49
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Erika Mayall is a dance physiotherapist and the host of The Dance Physio Podcast. I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak with her about how to prevent injuries in our students, teach through injuries in the classroom, encourage healthy warm-up practices, and more! Theme Music by GBMystical! www.gbmystical.com Recorded Via Squadcast.…
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Preparing Recreational Students for a Collegiate Dance Program with Laura Ward Moran
22:11
22:11
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Laura Ward Moran is an experienced dance educator, business owner, and founder of the college preparatory dance program at The John Carroll School in Bel Air, MD. In this episode, Laura shares insights on how all dance teachers can prepare their students - however "casual" they may be - for post-high-school dance experiences, education, and careers…
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How Megan Williams Created a Dance Program Tailored to Military Families
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23:38
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Megan Williams is the director of the Youth Instructional Dance Program at Fort Campbell, KY - a program exclusively for children of active duty and retired military families. Her unique experience in this role is not only fascinating to learn about, but also comes with a lot of lessons that can be applied by dance educators in all kinds of program…
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Pirouettes - When and How Are We Teaching our Casual Dancers?
24:14
24:14
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Pirouettes - Let's Talk About It! Pirouettes, or turns in general, seem to be at the forefront of dance media, but are they really THAT big a part of what we do? Join me as I explore the relevance of pirouettes in casual dance training, as well as just a couple of my personal methods for teaching this skill. Let's keep the conversation going in the…
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Dance/Movement Therapy Practices for the Casual Dance Teacher with Genevieve Fuller
18:02
18:02
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Genevieve Fuller joins us in this episode to share some practical tips and exercises that can be implemented in any dance classroom to ease stress, facilitate mental and emotional well-being, and equip students with the tools and skills to use movement and body-based practices to regulate their own mental health outside the classroom. Genevieve is …
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Refresh Your Classroom Playlists - Choosing Music for Dance Classes
16:24
16:24
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While most of us love music, sometimes choosing music for our dance classes can be daunting! In this episode, I share my tips for curating and organizing playlists for a variety of styles of dance with music that's age appropriate, varied, and engaging for both you and your students! Join me in The Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook to cont…
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Kristin Stam is a track and field coach at Bloomsburg University, specializing in jumping events. She also just so happens to be my sister :) In this episode, we get her professional insight on how to maximize dancers' physical performance throughout the season, plus some practical tips and drills to get stronger, higher jumps from our dancers!…
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Curriculum Building - How I Lesson-Plan for the Whole Season Before it Even Starts!
24:01
24:01
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Join me in the casual dance teacher's network on Facebook to continue the conversation! We're kicking things off with Maia's step-by-step guide on how to map out your curriculum for the entire dance season! I've developed this curriculum-planning process over the past several years, and I'm hoping it helps you kick off a new dance season feeling or…
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Trailer - Get to Know the Casual Dance Teacher's Podcast
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5:05
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What is the Casual Dance Teacher's Podcast, and why is it here? Join me in the casual dance teacher's network on Facebook!By Maia Mahosky
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