Dance Teacher Pep Talk

Happy 2025! I am so excited for this new year of Dance Teacher Pep Talk podcast with you all <3 Today's episode is about the intentions and promises we set for ourselves at this time of the year and how they can enrich and enhance our dance classrooms. Sometimes it is the things that we do for ourselves in our personal lives that make the biggest changes and improvements in our teaching and wha...

In today's Part Two to Episode 61: Savor The Season, I am giving tangible tips to try and implement today to encourage slowing down during this beautiful time of year. We a lot of the time live in a world that is "go go go" and the concept that you need to hustle in order to achieve where you want to be, but for our students that can be a lot of pressure! It is a lot of pressure on us! So today's...

In today's episode, I share some thoughts around modeling and sharing the importance of slowing down and savoring the moments, especially during the holiday season. During the holidays, we still have work, school, the same responsibilities as always but on top of it we are adding this extra layer of "to-do's" with the holidays such as activities, decorating, and more! And it is not just us as teac...

Disclaimer: Today's episode is a reminder of finding appreciation in different stages/phases of life and time. I just wanted to note that it does not address that times can be difficult/challenging and that it is okay when we feel we want to be done with and out of those challenging times quickly. In today's episode, I wanted to jump back into the podcast really quickly to share some insights that...

Wow!! 1 year of Dance Teacher Pep Talk podcast! I am so beaming with joy at all that this podcast has become and will continue to become and I thank all of you for your listens & support & more through this incredible year! This episode serves as a recap of this wild year, but also goes into a deep dive on the topic of purpose as the podcast was primarily started during a huge part of my s...

Are you looking for a method for expanding your inspiration for choreography that is fun, different, unique, and may open a whole new window of thought you have not tapped into yet? Then today’s episode is for YOU! This is always such a fun one for me and I am amazed at the thoughts I am able to come up with by doing it.  During the recording, I share 4 ideas for choreography right on the spot by...

Hi Dance Teacher Pep Talk Audience! I just finished up my Summer Intensive teaching for the year--now on to choreography setting and prep for the 2024-2025 year, but while getting ready for this I did some reflecting on my Summer Teaching and wanted to share some "aha" moments that I had with all of you. In today's episode, I go into depth about how this is a great time for preparing...

There is so much value in continuing education as dance teachers. It is not just important, I feel it is imperative! Great teachers carry the role of the forever student--never stopping to learn, so that we can always be the best we can be for our own students. Sometimes though, CECs come with a hefty cost, and it may not be as feasible to us all the time. In this case, there are still things that...

Today's episode features the award-winning choreographer, teacher, mentor, author of "Success Is Just The Beginning," and CEO of New England Dance Academy, Stephanie Kemp! Being of the New England area, I have heard of Stephanie Kemp, but to actually sit down and have this conversation with her expanded my outlook to a whole new level. Stephanie has grown and scaled her businesses to...

For so many of us, "Summer" has begun, even if it doesn't officially start until this Thursday! We are in the midst of Summer Dance preparation, planning our 2024-2025 seasons for our competition teams, preparing our 2024-2025 plans for our studios, and more. And of course, along with all of this, it is so important to get some rest, refresh, and reset during our Summer if and when w...

Today's episode is not an easy topic, but it is one I feel that as dance educators we will face at least once in our career. Today we are talking about when a dancer leaves. There are so many circumstances and situations as to why this may happen and I discuss many of those in today's episode, but mainly my goal is to reframe the way that we look at a dancer leaving. The first emotion we u...

Though many of us are just closing out our season, so many of us also have choreography on the brain for the next year, the next show, the next competition grouping, etc. Sometimes those ideas flow easily, and sometimes we really need to take the time to sit down and think on things. I thought this would be a great time of year to share 3 tips that I have used to help find inspiration when searchi...

In today's episode, I share about something that has been very beneficial in my teaching and that is musical cueing. So many of us do this naturally, whether it is "singing" the steps or giving sounds to the steps, but there is definitely a bigger reason behind this. I dive into what I have personally seen by being a musical teacher in not only my dance teaching, but in my Pilates in...

Happy 50th episode! Thank you all so much for your support, listens, and follows of Dance Teacher Pep Talk podcast. I absolutely love what this space has become and I'm so excited to see it continue to grow. In today's episode, I wanted to do something reflective to give back to your body, mind, and soul as you close out this season. Prompts in the episode are given to help bring closure a...

Happy Birthday to me! Today's episode is one that I feel could not only pertain to dance teachers, but creatives of all types!  Today I share 7 notices and lessons that I have learned up to turning age 35 on my journey in dance and through teaching. From topics around body, to social interaction, to personal growth, to choreography, and more--I share some of the biggest lessons I've learne...

This month's check-in episode is not only important for May, but it is important as a wrap-up for our season and a close-out for our year! In today's episode, I share what I do to help make the month of May even more special, because a lot can get missed this month when we are so busy planning for recital, preparing for end of year, and more.  Tips for the month include ideas around . . . ...

Today’s episode is a beautiful conversation I got to have with friend and dance colleague of mine, Kiera Letts! Kiera has been teaching and choreographing in the New England area for over a decade now and she brings a wealth of insight to today’s episode. Not only do we talk about the dance classroom, but we talk about the competition world and Kiera shares so much about her time as a judge/adjudi...

In today's episode, after asking herself the question, "what makes me want to watch?" in regards to pieces set on the competition stage, Amanda had some big thoughts she knew she had to share here. What she found is, it is not always the music that carries the piece, it is not always the movement that carries it, but rather it is the PASSION, PRESENCE, and ENERGY behind all of that m...

Today’s episode is near and dear to my heart because it is all about celebrating our graduating seniors! I had truly a very emotional and difficult time leaving my studio upon graduating and because of this I have always been very aware of how special and how challenging of a time this can be for our seniors who have grown up in our studio spaces. I honestly feel I had a harder time emotionally gr...

In today's episode, Amanda shares about the importance of awareness and presence as we start to close out our year and season. She goes into strategies and red flag scenarios of when our students are checking out and how to help them tune back in to the heart and soul of their love for dance.  Amanda gives tips for the Elementary age classroom and the Middle School/High School age classroom wh...

This season for me is well, busy, and in the midst of it all I always like to remind myself that I do need to make myself a priority in all of this. If I am going and going, I could easily burn out, fatigue, feel bitterness, and more, and that is the last thing I have time for in a busy season. In today's episode I share some of the things I am loving most to help keep me centered and on track...

In today’s episode, I sit down with one of my very best friends and lifelong dance friend, Jill Krysil. Jill is a second grade teacher and a truly incredible educator and human being. She is so caring, so loving, and she has so much passion for what she does, and I’m so excited for you to learn from her today as well! Jill is a presenter for Responsive Classroom which is a wonderful approach to te...

Happy March everyone! To kick off our month, I thought it would be great to just do an episode discussing things that can make our March that much more magical, and that much more connected for our lives. Where I live, March is the beginning of Spring (but, that doesn’t mean we still won’t get snow) and Spring to me is fresh & renewing energy and it comes at a time when we are in a major “push...

Today’s episode is meant to be listened to on a drive at the start of a competition event weekend or prior to your event. This pep talk is for the Dancers! Included in this pep talk are tips and reminders of how to care for yourself this weekend especially when it comes to nervous energy, mindfulness practices to get the most out of your experience this weekend, and more! I hope you enjoy this cen...

Today’s episode is meant to be listened to on a drive at the start of a competition event weekend. This pep talk is for the Teachers & Choreographers! Included in this pep talk are tips and reminders of how to care for yourself this weekend, mindfulness practices to get the most out of your experience this weekend, and more! I hope you enjoy this centering chat before heading into your inspiri...