The Casual Dance Teacher's Podcast

You might not think the average dance teacher has much in common with a used car salesman, but as someone who worked in both sales and dance education for nearly a decade, I'm here to tell you that they do!  Throughout my sales career, I learned a lot of little "tricks of the trade" that translated into great tools to help my dance students receive and retain instructions and corrections better in class!  And I don't gatekeep, so here they are! Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

Most dance teachers do it for their passion and love of the art of dance - which is great!  But that can also lend itself to getting stuck in situations that don't necessarily align with our personal and/or professional goals.  Using the SWOT analysis method, dance teachers (as well as studio owners, coaches, choreographers, business owners of any kind, etc...) can discern the areas of their current teaching/job situation that serve them well, and those where they should be seeking additional opportunities for growth.  You can find my custom SWOT Analysis worksheet designed just for dance teachers FREE in The Casual Dance Teacher's Network  Facebook group HereTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

What better way to kick off 2026 than with part 2 of my fabulous conversation with Jess Grippo, exploring the many ways that dance educators can explore and unleash their own creativity?!  Let's make this year one where we feel creatively fulfilled and able to express ourselves in ways we didn't have the creative vocabulary to before.  Jess has so many great tips - as well as fantastic supplementary resources, which you can find below - to help us reach those creative goals. Note: This is Part 2 of my conversation with Jess, you can listen to part 1 having been published on August 1st, 2025.  You can listen to part 1 HereJess' Website: www.jessgrippo.comJess' Free "Dance Alone, Together" Series: www.jessgrippo.com/13day-free-seriesTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify! <3

Have you ever wondered why your students seem to plateau at a certain age/level, or why you find yourself giving the same corrections OVER and OVER and seeing the same technical issues continue?  Could it be that you're pushing students through the basics a little too quickly in an effort to race on to "fancier" or more "exciting" steps?  On today's episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Kathryn Bisland about how and why she takes the time to break down the basics, preparing recreational students to handle more technically advanced steps without losing proper form and technique in ballet, jazz, and tap. Check out Kathryn's Skool Dance Teacher Community Here, where you can preview her syllabus for free, purchase in full, and earn commission on referrals! Visit Kathryn's Website HereView Kathryn's Youtube channel, "Dance With Miss Kathryn" HereTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

Today we're joined by the fabulous Angela Elgani to talk all things commercial dance!  To give you a brief overview of Angela's resume, she is a dance producer, educator, mentor, and adjudicator, who's danced with artists including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Will Smith, Mya, Eve, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Backstreet Boys, N' Sync, Little Kim, George Michael, Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Monica, Gwen Stefanie, Stevie Wonder, Heavy D, and Kid Rock, as well as in the movies You Got Served and Step Up Revolution.  Angela has a heart for helping dancers grow succeed in the commercial dance industry, and creating welcoming spaces and "good vibes" for anyone and everyone who wants to dance!  Find Angela's Personal Website, with links to her socials and other websites, here.Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook Here Follow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

We have the incredible treat of TWO esteemed guests on today's episode - Erica Hornthal and Rae Luskin!  After seeking out Erica's Dance/Movement Therapy services to get connected with her own body, Rae is sharing her story of how dance therapy has helped her, and Erica weighs in on the process of helping clients embody their emotions, and how dance teachers should- and shouldn't! - integrate therapeutic practices in their classrooms.  Erica's Website (With Links to Her Socials)Rae's Website (With Links to Her Socials)Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

As a dance teacher, do you throw information at your students and wonder why that same correction you keep giving isn't sticking, or do you work collaboratively with your dancers to unlock the wisdom of their individual bodies?  Mariah-Jane Thies, also known as "The Radiant Dance Teacher," is on a mission to help dance teachers and students integrate the wisdom of the body into their dance practice, allowing for greater artistry, deeper understanding of technique, and less risk of injury.  Use code Radiant25 Here to get 25% off any of Mariah-Jane's courses as a listener of The Casual Dance Teacher's Podcast!You can join The Radiant Dance Teacher Facebook Group HereTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook Here - Now through December 1st, you can sign up for "The Twelve Texts of Christmas" exclusively through the Facebook Group and receive daily holiday-themed dance class activities, song suggestions, and more via text from December 1st-12th Follow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

Today's episode combines dance lessons with life lessons, and don't they so often go together?!  While I don't feel equiped to speak specifically about West African Dance technique on this platform, I do think that the lessons I learned during my time studying in West Africa are worth sharing with dance educators of all styles and methodologies.  Here are just 4 of my biggest takeaways from studying West African Dance, and how they've helped me become a better dance teacher.Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook Here - Now through December 1st, you can sign up for "The Twelve Texts of Christmas" exclusively through the Facebook Group and receive daily holiday-themed dance class activities, song suggestions, and more via text from December 1st-12th Follow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

The dance world is extremely inconsistent when it comes to assessing growth and providing feedback to students in a comprehensive and constructive way.  Following our "Part 1" episode with Danielle Aliotta, today's episode focuses on Chelsea Weidmann's experience with providing assessments and feedback within competitive and pre-professional dance studios.  Our discussion also turned to questions of ethics and equity in how (and/or if!) feedback has been provided in these types of programs, how teachers are compensated for their time in providing feedback, and much more!Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

The dance world is extremely inconsistent when it comes to assessing growth and providing feedback to students in a comprehensive and constructive way.  Today, I have Danielle Aliotta on the show to share her experience as both a public school and dance studio educator, where she focuses on setting goals based on students' baseline abilities, and assessing and sharing feedback based on consistent growth.  If you are looking for ways to assess students equitably in any setting, this one's for you!Follow all that Danielle does on Instagram HereTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

Happy Halloween!  To celebrate the season, we're throwing it back to some of my favorite fall-themed dance class activities and games from season one.  As an added bonus for you long-time listeners, I've added some brand-new game ideas to the end of the episode!  Enjoy!Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

For the next couple weeks, I'm going to help you work through any aspect of choreography that might have you feeling "stuck."  In this episode, I share how I apply the concepts of various choreographic devices to formations and transitions onstage to ensure that the staging, spacing, and flow of the piece feels authentic to the movement and thematic material that you're working with. You can listen to the Season 1 Choreography Month Series starting Here.Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

For the next couple weeks, I'm going to help you work through any aspect of choreography that might have you feeling "stuck."  In this episode, I discuss a number of choreographic devices, and how you can use these devices to come up with TONS of fresh movement material using steps or combinations that you've already used in class or previous choreography. You can listen to the Season 1 Choreography Month Series starting Here.Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

For the next couple weeks, I'm going to help you work through any aspect of choreography that might have you feeling "stuck."  In this episode, I provide some different examples of ways that you can choose a theme for your dance, and allow that theme to then help you come up with the music, movement, staging, etc for a piece.  You can listen to the Season 1 Choreography Month Series starting Here.Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

Are your students comfortable improvising, or do they freeze up at the mention of it?  In today's episode, I had the opportunity to talk to dancer/choreographer/dance educator/coach (etc!) Angela Gallo about her own experience utilizing improvisation in her creative process, as well as recommendations for the use of improvisation in the dance classroom, preparing our students to improvise in an audition setting, and more!Learn more about Angela's dance company, Sapphire Moon Dance Company, HereLearn more about Angela's travel and wellness company, Hemisphere Dancer Wellness and Travel, HereTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

I am a firm believer in having as many tools on hand as possible for days when you need to quickly re-engage students, bring the class together, and/or reenforce a concept you're working on in a new way.  Today's episode is full of ideas for physical games that you can buy and keep on hand to easily achieve these goals without the work of DIY-ing or prepping materials in advance. All games mentioned in today's episode that are still available on the market are linked below.  Pop's Culture Shoppe is my local game store (owned by my parents!), so I've linked any available through them here - they ship internationally!  For those not available through them, I've provided Amazon links, but encourage you to check with your local game store first! Seek-a-BooMove & Groove is unfortunately discontinued, but the same company makes a very similar toddler-oriented dice-roll game called Roll & Play that you can get herePrima Ballerina is also unfortunately discontinued, but you could diy-it by printing pictures of dancers, cutting them in half, and laminating the pieces.Heads Talk, Tails WalkFloor is Lava Game Amazon LinkDance Charades Amazon LinkTwisterBalance Beam/Stepping Stone Set Amazon LinkDon't Sweat it Amazon LinkAfter the show, I found this giant foam "exercize die," that I thought would be a good additionHere is a set of blank foam dice with dry erase sides for infinite re-use! Listen to the "Props and Tools" Episode HereListen to the "No Prep Dance-Class Games for All Ages Episode HereTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

It's arguably impossible to become a dance teacher without first identifying as a dancer, but what happens when you feel that that identity no longer suits you?  Is it fair to identify as a dance teacher if you no longer dance regularly outside of the classroom?  What if you're not regularly teaching classes - can you still call yourself a dance teacher?  We cover all this and more in today's episode with "The Dancing Mind Coach" Stephanie Case!You can find Stephanie's new book Here You can learn more about Stephanie and all of her offerings HereTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

 I don't care what style/age group/program/level/genre of dance you teach...I'd bet there's been some time in your teaching career that you "gamified" your teaching in some way.  Yes, games can be a fun "filler," but I also think we shouldn't undermine the value of teaching through games, even for older/more experienced dancers!  Here are a couple of the simplest games I've used in dance class that take absolutely zero preparation so you can incorporate them any time and place! Listen to the "Props and Tools" Episode HereYou can find game/activity ideas for specific seasons/holidays Here (for fall) and Here (for winter) Theme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

As an experienced casual dance teacher, what have I learned to ALWAYS keep in my bag to be prepared for class every week?  Find out on today's episode! Listen to the "Props and Tools" Episode HereListen to the "What's in My Dance Bag - Recital Edition" Episode HereTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!

Are you a current dance fitness instructor, or thinking of teaching dance fitness classes or offering them at your studio as an added revenue stream? If so, today's episode is for you!  I sat down with Mariana Santos, founder of Brazily Fitness, to talk about creating a unique dance fitness brand, building confidence through dance, working with a wide range of skill levels within a class, and what it takes to choreograph and memorize up to 20 dances per class!!!Check out the Brazily Fitness Website HereTheme Music by GBMystical!  www.gbmystical.comJoin the Casual Dance Teacher's Network on Facebook HereFollow me on Reddit HereFollow our Instagram account HerePlease Leave Us a Review on Apple/Spotify!