My Teaching Approach

Some of my earliest memories involve twirling and jumping and singing and being rather fascinated by what my own little body could do.

And that is pretty much how I approach my teaching to this day: I am fascinated by all the different bodies I get to work with and all the different ways they move, and how utterly beautiful all of this difference is.

In my classes, I promise above all to keep your body safely on a road to its healthiest, most fit level. Being strong physically, makes us stronger in other ways, and you will be surprised by what you can do -- in terms of grace and balance, physically and emotionally and mentally -- with a stronger core.

I also promise that the class environment is one in which you can experiment and be silly and never feel judged. Experimentation is the key to discovery -- whether it be an artistic, scientific, or self discovery.

For me, the word movement is important.  The word "yoga," for example, brings up very specific things in people's minds.  My classes thrive on spontaneity and on being indescribable. I also never want a student to think there is some end goal, some preferred way, some ideally attained posture. Furthermore, the word posture implies static, holding; we are always moving and fluid, exploring and feeling our way.

The word "dance" can also make people feel excluded, though you can be sure that every person who walks up the steps and into Girl on Fire Movement Studio is already a dancer in her heart.  Dance is our genetic heritage as humans. How did we first worship, celebrate, mourn? Moving our feet, stomping into the ground, circling fires. Dance is not something for an exclusive few.

The most important aspect of my teaching is the connections happening between the breath, your body, and the rhythms of the music. You will learn to intuit movement, rather than thinking it.  You will learn to feel the compulsion of movement as it arises naturally.

Yes, every woman who walks up those steps and into this studio is already a dancer in her heart, but she is a unique dancer, and every dance explored in this space will be beautiful in its difference, powerful in its individuality.

There is only one of you and there is only one of you dancing.