Interest Engagement Direction Returning to Practice

Interest, Engagement, Direction: Topics to Consider for Designing Your Own Return to Practice

What would you say to a student who is listless and unengaged in class? What advice would you give a student who is struggling with their level of commitment? What is your standard studio pep-talk when morale is low, times are challenging and everyone is overwhelmed? As teachers, we are usually our own worst student and with that we have the potential to be our own best teacher, our own best advocate! In this post-COVID reality, you, the teacher, are standing in a room full of like minded “students” each with his or her own gifts and talents, each striving in a different way and setting different goals. Together you are stronger because you push one another and you support one another, and most of all, you fulfill beautiful choreographic visions by meshing your gifts into one framework that celebrates your uniqueness and your ability to create new energies together at one time. You can do this because you share interest, engagement and direction! To create our best programming for the fall and 2020-21 dance season, we must turn to look in the mirror and give our own best advice…to ourselves! In this session we will consider the mental shifts and action items to move forward from fatigue and disappointment to create a new paradigm for dance education, at least for the now.

Dr. Kathryn White Austin is a Life Member of the BATD in the Highland and Scottish National branches. She has 40 years experience in dance education spanning the areas of of private studios, private coaching, community centers, musical theatre and industrial choreography, K-12 dance education and higher education. She is a long-standing Board member of the National Dance Education Organization in the United States and Dance and the Child International-USA. Dr. Austin has been awarded Arts Teacher of the Year, Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Dance Educator awards at a local, state and national level. She has presented on topics of dance education for over 25 years at conferences through the United States and in Barbados. She is currently in her 30th year of studio ownership of the Centre for Dance & the Performing Arts in Oakland, Florida (www.dancecdpa.com) and simultaneously maintains a full time teaching position in K-12 at the Osceola County School for the Arts in Kissimmee, Florida. Throughout the COVID-19 response, Dr. Austin has been actively leading and assisting in the organization of best practices to help dance educators not only survive, but also thrive in this new platform.

To Register:

This interactive lecture will take place via the Zoom Platform.
Please contact Regional Secretary Janice Lynn to reserve your spot for this event. batdtorontoregion@gmail.com

Scheduled lecture time is 4pm EST North America, 9pm UK time