Teaching
Cultivating curiosity is a critical intersection between performance, composition, and pedagogy, and the nexus in which I situate my practice as a teaching artist.
For me, being a teacher and being an artist are inextricable.
Cultivating curiosity is a critical intersection between performance, composition, and pedagogy, and the nexus in which I situate my practice as a teaching artist.
Teaching is clear communication with intention to empower students/clients/participants/co-learners with skills - and curiosity- to continue to grow on their own. Encouraged and with joy.
My ideal movement practice class fosters bodily awareness and cultivates personal confidence, risk-taking, and fun- while attending to the physical, cultural, and historical specifics of the technique being studied.
By articulating physical goals and historical context of a dance form, and empowering students with functional anatomical information to help them execute those goals to the best of their abilities, I work to promote empowered, culturally sensitive, and functional physical engagement with various movement aesthetics.
“Laura has been a very relatable teacher. She has helped me better understand how to use my body to it’s fullest potential ."
-Student, Ballet, Hofstra University
"Laura is one of the best professors I've had in the Dance Department. . . . She is very encouraging and knowledgable and wants to see each of her students grow."
- Student, Pilates Reformer,The Ohio State University
"Familiarity with several different forms of dance enables Laura to have crossover conversations with the students . . . She makes the techniques of an art form peculiar to one tiny country seem accessible to anyone, and never lacks for humor. The class atmosphere invited people to take risks, trying strange new steps, without intimidation.”
-Pat Flynn, Program Advisor, NJ Arts In Education Irish Dance Residency
"Laura is an incredibly dedicated educator. It is crystal clear that she cares about her students in every way and at all times. She has not only offered detailed instruction, but also several other resources related or unrelated to the course for almost any situation. Laura has handled the impact of covid–19 with intelligence and care for her students. She is also clearly invested in the course material and teaches with enthusiasm and dedication."
- Student, Pilates Reformer, The Ohio State University
"The class was taught in a way that was great for beginners and advanced dancers."
-Student, Irish Dance, Hofstra University
“Laura is an amazing professor. She makes you feel comfortable and not afraid to explore. Her warm ups are extremely helpful and useful.”
-Student, Modern Dance, Hofstra University
“Thank you so much for dance. I feel good about myself since we did that. I love dance not that much though, but it was kind of fun.”
-6th Grade Student, MS21
“I liked doing cool moves.”
-Kindergarten Student, PS270
Invited Masterclasses:
New York University Gallatin School
Queens College Dance Program
University at Buffalo Dept. of Theatre and Dance
Ballet Met, Columbus, OH
Brooklyn Arts Exchange
Staten Island Dance Project
Forest Haven Center for Music and Dance, NYC
Curiosity Project: Movement, NYC
Bluegrass Youth Ballet, Lexington, KY
Kentucky Dance Academy, Frankfort, KY
Movement Continuum Forum, Lexington, KY
American College Dance Association
Selected Dance Teaching Experience:
2021, 2022 - present
The University of Kentucky
Department of Theatre and Dance, Lexington, KY
Improvisation, Introduction to Dance, Modern, Ballet, Dance History, Choreography, Repertory
2019-2022
The Ohio State University
Department of Dance, Columbus ,OH
Dance Kinesiology, Dance Kinesiology (Online), Pilates Reformer, Ballet
Injury/Wellness Consultant
Independent Study Advisor
Guest Teaching: Pilates, Anatomy, Career Conversations,
Irish Dance, Contemporary, Ballet, Improvisation
2016-2018
Hofstra University
Department of Drama and Dance, Hempstead, NY
Modern, Ballet, Irish Dance, Dance Appreciation/Global Contexts
Guest Teaching: Modern, Improvisation, Irish Dance, Pilates
2011-2022
Irish Arts Center, NY, NY
Teaching Artist: Adult Beginner Irish Dance, Ceili Dance, ModERIN (Darrah Carr Dance Company Technique and Repertory),
School and Community Programming, Virtual Education Programming
2014-2018
Dance Theatre of Harlem, NY,NY
Dancing Through Barriers K-12 Teaching Artist
2014-2018
LEAP NYC
Learning Through An Expanded Arts Program
Literacy, Dance, & Theater K-12 Teaching Artist
2017, 2022
Gibney Dance Center, NY, NY
Professional Contemporary Class, Kinected Pilates for Dancers
2017
Joffrey Character and World Dance Intensive NY, NY
Irish Dance
2014-2015
Moore Catholic High School Performing Arts Institute, Staten Island, NY
Choreographer/Dance Coach
Thoroughly Modern Millie
2012-2013
Young Audiences of New Jersey/ New Jersey Arts In Education Consortium
K-12 Teaching Artist