now THIS is my kind of teaching philosophy

Dancers: Dana Arceneaux, A.E. Woods, Blossom Lelani Crawford, Ebony Ruffin and Monica Clark Molibongue: Let the Name of the Women Be Praised at Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors Music: WOMEN OF THE CALABASH Photo:Steve Schriebe

Yesterday I had a short conversation through e-mail with Andrea Woods the artistic director of SOULOWORKS dance who just moved out here to Durham from Brooklyn.

While taking a look at her website for SOULOWORKS, I came across this:

Teaching Philosophy

“The primary excitement of dance is the human body. Everything from physical and emotional to intellectual and spiritual sensation is perceived, translated and expressed through the body; the delicate yet complex landscape we chose to explore as dancers.

Teaching is an opportunity to facilitate and environment for making movement, deepening and enriching the body’s personal resources. I teach with and emphasis on internal and musical rhythm, weight, balance, dynamic changes, speed, tranquility, exhilaration and rest.

Discovering organic and earthy sensibilities in class includes recognizing ourselves as individuals within the community/group. Everything we need in the quest for movement sensation is already contained within.”

Now “Turn Pattern Steve” might say it’s all hogwash hippie nonsense, but I think it’s great and gives us instructors an excellent set of goals to push our instruction from.

We must have exchanged ideas in a past life or something, because it all sounds awfully familiar.

Now I we’ve got to convince her to come teach a class down at the studio!