The Casual Dance Teacher's Podcast

That's a wrap on Season 2!  Before I take a break from publishing new episodes, I wanted to wrap up the season with some of my key takeaways from the season, and how they pertain to dance teaching, but also life in general.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to make sure you're notified when new episodes come out for Season 3! Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.com Join the Casual Dance...

Some studios hold their recital after the last week of dance classes, but in other settings, your students will perform their final recital/showcase and then come back for class...without choreography to work on, what do you do with that last week or few weeks of classes?  Today's episode is packed with ideas for those classes, or any time you have a lull in the season or need to offer your studen...

Kelly Groves joins me in today's episode to discuss the importance and implementation of clear communication and organized systems to keep dance teachers engaged without burning out during the insanity of recital time, and the relative let-down of the summer season.  While much of this conversation is geared towards dance business owners specifically, we also delve into some great tips for casual...

Social stories are a fantastic tool to help your students with high sensory needs prepare for and process the overwhelm of a dance recital!  And while social stories are generally designed for kids on the autism spectrum, they can benefit EVERYONE!  In today's episode, I break down the basics of how to create a social story, the key elements that I believe should be included in a social story for...

In today's episode, part 3 of our series on different ballet methodologies, I chat with Brian Andrews about his experience with learning and implementing Cecchetti technique, the benefits of following the Cecchetti syllabus with his students, as well as challenges that it poses, how it prepares students for professional careers, and more! Listen to the episode on Vaganova Ballet Technique with Pam...

On today's episode, I had the privilege of chatting with Amanda Couturier-Cormier about how and why she incorporates meditation and mindfulness exercises into her dance classes of all ages and levels, the benefits she's seen from this practice, and the resource she's created to help dance teachers follow suit! Visit Amanda's Patreon Here Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.com Join the Casu...

As we're working on choreography for competitions, recitals, showcases, etc, our dance classes may begin to feel a little stale.  Bringing a novel prop/tool out can enhance the students' understanding and execution of the choreography without changing much else about how you're presenting it!  Here are some of my favorite easy-to-find items to incorporate into the choreography cleaning process whe...

In today's episode, part 2 of our series on different ballet methodologies, I chat with Kelly Douglas about her experience with learning and implementing RAD technique, the benefits of following the RAD syllabus with her students, as well as challenges that it poses, how it prepares students for professional careers, and more! Listen to the episode on Vaganova Ballet Technique with Pamela Lauer He...

The great debate - should you organize your dance class levels by age, or by technical level?  Today's episode isn't really about defending one side or the other on this one, but I'm sharing my best tips for how to teach a class that includes students of various levels of experience and/or technical ability, without leaving anyone feeling totally left behind or totally bored!   Listen to my episod...

Do you love love?  Do you love finding music for your dance classes that's actually fun and engaging for the students while also teaching them dance terminology, timing, and technique?! If you answered "no" to either of these questions, then maybe go find a different podcast.  If you answered "YES!" then JOIN ME on this fun, informative, and stinking adorable conversation with husband-and-wife duo...

Y'all know I LOVE LOVE, so it should be no surprise I'm gearing up to celebrate Valentine's Day all month long with fun little crafts and activities that can help students with their dance technique while also building their confidence, performance quality, and their love for their fellow dancers, teachers, those who support their dance education, and the art of dance in general!  Let's spread the...

In today's episode, I chat with County Ballet's Pamela Lauer about her experience with learning and implementing Vaganova technique, the benefits of following the Vaganova syllabus with her students, as well as challenges that it poses, how it prepares students for professional careers, and more!  If you'd like to learn more, you can e-mail Pamela here: countyballetdanceshop@gmail.com Theme Music...

You might not think the average dance teacher has much in common with a used car salesman, but as someone who worked in both sales and dance education for nearly a decade, I'm here to tell you that they do!  Throughout my sales career, I learned a lot of little "tricks of the trade" that translated into great tools to help my dance students receive and retain instructions and corrections better in...

Most dance teachers do it for their passion and love of the art of dance - which is great!  But that can also lend itself to getting stuck in situations that don't necessarily align with our personal and/or professional goals.  Using the SWOT analysis method, dance teachers (as well as studio owners, coaches, choreographers, business owners of any kind, etc...) can discern the areas of their curre...

What better way to kick off 2026 than with part 2 of my fabulous conversation with Jess Grippo, exploring the many ways that dance educators can explore and unleash their own creativity?!  Let's make this year one where we feel creatively fulfilled and able to express ourselves in ways we didn't have the creative vocabulary to before.  Jess has so many great tips - as well as fantastic supplementa...

Have you ever wondered why your students seem to plateau at a certain age/level, or why you find yourself giving the same corrections OVER and OVER and seeing the same technical issues continue?  Could it be that you're pushing students through the basics a little too quickly in an effort to race on to "fancier" or more "exciting" steps?  On today's episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Kat...

Today we're joined by the fabulous Angela Elgani to talk all things commercial dance!  To give you a brief overview of Angela's resume, she is a dance producer, educator, mentor, and adjudicator, who's danced with artists including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Will Smith, Mya, Eve, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Backstreet Boys, N' Sync, Little Kim, George Michael, Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Mon...

We have the incredible treat of TWO esteemed guests on today's episode - Erica Hornthal and Rae Luskin!  After seeking out Erica's Dance/Movement Therapy services to get connected with her own body, Rae is sharing her story of how dance therapy has helped her, and Erica weighs in on the process of helping clients embody their emotions, and how dance teachers should- and shouldn't! - integrate ther...

As a dance teacher, do you throw information at your students and wonder why that same correction you keep giving isn't sticking, or do you work collaboratively with your dancers to unlock the wisdom of their individual bodies?  Mariah-Jane Thies, also known as "The Radiant Dance Teacher," is on a mission to help dance teachers and students integrate the wisdom of the body into their dance practic...

Today's episode combines dance lessons with life lessons, and don't they so often go together?!  While I don't feel equiped to speak specifically about West African Dance technique on this platform, I do think that the lessons I learned during my time studying in West Africa are worth sharing with dance educators of all styles and methodologies.  Here are just 4 of my biggest takeaways from studyi...

The dance world is extremely inconsistent when it comes to assessing growth and providing feedback to students in a comprehensive and constructive way.  Following our "Part 1" episode with Danielle Aliotta , today's episode focuses on Chelsea Weidmann 's experience with providing assessments and feedback within competitive and pre-professional dance studios.  Our discussion also turned to question...

The dance world is extremely inconsistent when it comes to assessing growth and providing feedback to students in a comprehensive and constructive way.  Today, I have Danielle Aliotta on the show to share her experience as both a public school and dance studio educator, where she focuses on setting goals based on students' baseline abilities, and assessing and sharing feedback based on consistent...

Happy Halloween!  To celebrate the season, we're throwing it back to some of my favorite fall-themed dance class activities and games from season one.  As an added bonus for you long-time listeners, I've added some brand-new game ideas to the end of the episode!  Enjoy! Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.com Join the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook Here Follow me on Reddit Here...

For the next couple weeks, I'm going to help you work through any aspect of choreography that might have you feeling "stuck."  In this episode, I share how I apply the concepts of various choreographic devices to formations and transitions onstage to ensure that the staging, spacing, and flow of the piece feels authentic to the movement and thematic material that you're working with. You can liste...

For the next couple weeks, I'm going to help you work through any aspect of choreography that might have you feeling "stuck."  In this episode, I discuss a number of choreographic devices, and how you can use these devices to come up with TONS of fresh movement material using steps or combinations that you've already used in class or previous choreography. You can listen to the Season 1 Choreograp...