jessica rizzo-stafford
dancer. teacher. choreographer. yogi.
I
"dance from the inside out."
"breathe. move. create."
Always starting with the above mantras.......
My teaching philosophy stems from my passion, life experiences and love of my craft which I hope to ignite in my own students. It is my conceptualization of teaching and learning to provide dancers with the necessary tools to become a whole dancer. My pedagogical vision includes an environment where students are encouraged to move from the inside-out as artists and analyze how the body, mind and soul of an artist synthesize through technical training, creative process, critical thinking, theory and academic emphasis equally. I believe this should be augmented by discovery of individual artistic identity by providing curriculum combining performance, creative and academic studies; in tandem with advocating classroom etiquette, professionalism and self-marketing preparation.
It is the rapid advancement of superior professional technicians within this ever-changing contemporary dance world (and the projected continuation of such) however, that makes proper technical and performance training vital. Providing students with technique curriculums integrating both traditional and multicultural idioms will produce well rounded and versatile dancers who are "ready" in all respects. The inclusion of this kind of curriculum will also have a direct impact on how students apply this knowledge to their own creative process and theoretical perspectives accordingly. This offers dancers broader views on movement vocabulary, historical context and their own definition of technique, movement aesthetic and performance. Consequently, this expansive knowledge will simultaneously cultivate the future performer, choreographer and theorist who will be the next generation to shape the future of the dance world both artistically and academically. Furthermore it is my objective to create an environment that combines and balances these various dimensions of: encouragement - through positive reinforcement; focus - through self-discipline; challenge - fueled by self-motivation; and creativity - through self-expression.
My philosophy aims to quench a thirst for dance knowledge in all capacities while challenging the student to continually evaluate and self-reflect on the following questions throughout their entire dance career:
•Who am I as a dancer? Who am I as an artist? Who am I as a person? How do I combine all of them into one whole being?
•What is the necessary knowledge I need to achieve in order to thrive in the ever-changing dance world?
•How do I take full advantage of what my dance curriculums offer in preparation for my personal goals?
•How will I sustain my passion and continually develop my craft and knowledge of dance throughout my life?