In today's Podcast Episode, I have the privilege of interviewing Allison Mell with Tots on Target, a Physical Therapist who works side by side with Mary Deutsch, a Licensed Occupational Therapist to help parents understand how their children grow and develop. I recently completed their Babies on the Move course which was BRILLIANT (it's linked below) and I was captivated about the section on red flags and crawling. So it had me wondering, how can some of these "red flags" present themse...
Welcome back to the Dance to Learn® Podcast — the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Podcast! In this episode, host Jessica Strong kicks off a special 2-part series to help you bring fun and fancy into your first dance classes of the new season. Whether it’s your students’ very first class or just the start of a new year, this episode is full of tips to make it magical, memorable, and meaningful. In this Part 2 Episode, Jessica reads and walks you through her children’s book Florrie Flamingo’s ABC's o...
🎙 Episode Title: Bringing Fun & Fancy to Your First Dance Class (Part 1) Welcome back to the Dance to Learn® Podcast — the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Podcast! In this episode, host Jessica Strong kicks off a special 2-part series to help you bring fun and fancy into your first dance classes of the new season. Whether it’s your students’ very first class or just the start of a new year, this episode is full of tips to make it magical, memorable, and meaningful. Jessica reads and walks you t...
Ready to map out your most organized, stress-free dance season yet? In this episode, Jessica Strong announces the Dance to Learn® Season Curriculum Plan-a-thon — a brand-new, members-only live planning challenge starting August 1st! Inside the Plan-a-thon, we’ll meet live each week on Zoom to plan your entire dance season step-by-step. Together, you’ll map out your monthly themes, core dance concepts, and brainstorm special events like holiday activities, recitals, and showcases — so you head...
Welcome to Membership Insider, a mini series available on the Dance to Learn® Podcast which gives you a peek inside the Dance to Learn® Membership! Dance to Learn® is an all inclusive library of dance resources made for dance teachers who teach in the foundational years. The membership is designed to be your partner in dance education. Today I’m going to take you inside our Dance EdVentures™! Last week I introduced you to our Follow Along Video Demonstrations. These Video De...
In this episode of the Dance to Learn® Podcast, host Jessica Strong dives deep into one of the most common struggles preschool dance teachers face: keeping young children engaged. Jessica breaks down: ✨ What engagement really means in a preschool dance setting ✨ What it looks like when little dancers are truly focused, curious, and invested ✨ And practical strategies for keeping attention strong from warm-up to goodbyes You’ll learn: ✔️ Why themes make dance concepts mean...
Welcome to Membership Insider, a mini series available on the Dance to Learn® Podcast which gives you a peek inside the Dance to Learn® Membership! Dance to Learn® is an all inclusive library of dance resources made for dance teachers who teach in the foundational years. The membership is designed to be your partner in dance education. Today I’m going to take you inside our Dance EdVentures™! Last week I introduced you to our Teacher Guides which are long descriptions of each Danc...
In this episode of the Dance to Learn® Podcast, Jessica Strong gets real about the 5 biggest mistakes dance teachers make when structuring Parent and Me (Caregiver & Tot) classes — and how to fix them for good! Drawing from her own early missteps, Jessica shares why these classes are vital for early childhood dance programs, how to avoid common pitfalls like too much technique or structure, and why active caregiver involvement is essential for child success and family retention. ✨ Plus, g...
Welcome back to the Dance to Learn® Podcast — the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Podcast with your host, Jessica Strong! This week, we’re wrapping up our special two-part series with the final 5 of 10 essential preparations every dance teacher should make before starting a new season. If you're ready to kick off your classes with confidence and connection, this episode is for you. These final steps cover everything from choosing the right music and props to engaging families, planning for flexibil...
Welcome to the Dance to Learn® Podcast — the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Podcast! In this episode, host Jessica Strong kicks off a special 2-part series breaking down the 10 Essential Preparations Every Dance Teacher Should Make before their first class of a new season. Whether you're a studio owner or preschool dance teacher, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you enter your season feeling confident, prepared, and excited. This week, Jessica shares the first 5 essential pr...
In this episode of the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Podcast by Dance to Learn®, host Jessica Strong dives into a timely and often tricky topic: should dance studios allow children who are not potty trained to attend summer camps? Inspired by multiple posts in her Facebook feed, Jessica shares her approach to handling these common parent concerns with empathy, clarity, and professionalism. She discusses the legal limitations that prevent most dance studios from offering diapering services, the im...
Welcome to membership insider a mini series available on the Dance to Learn® Podcast which gives you peek inside the Dance to Learn® Membership! Dance to Learn® is an all inclusive library of dance resources made for dance teachers who teach the foundational years. The membership is designed to be your partner in dance education. Today I’m going take you inside our Teaching Tracks. Last week I introduced you to the 6 week teaching track - ideal for Dance Educators new to our metho...
Welcome to membership insider a mini series available on the Dance to Learn® Podcast which gives you peek inside the Dance to Learn® Membership! Dance to Learn® is an all inclusive library of dance resources made for dance teachers who teach dance in the foundational years. The membership is designed to be your partner in dance education. Today I’m going take you inside our Teaching Tracks. Last week I introduced you to the Dance EdVenture™ Library the home to more than 100 ready ...
Mythbusting Thematic Learning in Preschool Dance Welcome back to the Dance to Learn® Podcast — the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Podcast hosted by Jessica Strong! In this episode, Jessica dives into one of her favorite topics: themes — and busts five of the most common myths about thematic learning in early childhood dance. Discover why themes aren’t fluff, but powerful tools for brain development, child-centered engagement, and meaningful connection. Learn how the Dance to Learn® Curriculum uses...
Welcome to Membership Insider - a mini series available on the Dance to Learn® Podcast which gives you a peek inside the Dance to Learn® Membership. Dance to Learn® is an all inclusive library of dance resources made for dance teachers who teach dance in the foundational years. The Membership is designed to be your partner in dance education. Today I'm taking you inside our Dance EdVenture™ Library! Last week I introduced you to the 5 membership options and 4 Curriculu...
Hello Dance EdVenturists! Welcome back to the Dance to Learn Podcast! The Preschool Dance Teacher’s Podcast! I’m your Host Jessica Strong, and I want to say thank you to our Season 6 Sponsor Dance Dance Hooray! Today’s episode is a short introduction to this Season Reboot which kicks off next Friday 5/23! I wanted to share my goal with the Podcast and the best way you can submit your listener questions and be featured on the show! First, my goal with the Podcast is to hear from real voi...
The Membership Insider is a mini-series on the Dance to Learn® Podcast which takes you inside our all inclusive Dance to Learn® Membership Library! Dance to Learn® is an all inclusive library of dance resources made for dance teachers who teach dance in the foundational years. The Membership is designed to be your partner in Dance Education. Today I'm taking you inside our different membership options. We have 5 different options for dance educators to chose the library that's rig...
I'm excited to announce the Reboot of Season 6 of the Dance to Learn® Podcast after a little pause for some life updates! The reboot will be focused on YOU! The Dance to Learn® Podcast is FOR dance teachers BY dance teachers so we are creating #askthepod and #podtalk To be featured on the Dance to Learn® Podcast join us in the Membership: 👉 https://library.dancetolearn.co/pages/join-us Or join us in the Preschool Dance Teacher's Forum on Facebook: 👉 https://www.facebook.com...
My students will only dance if they hold my hand, it's causing disruptions in class. How can I best structure a shorter 6-8 week dance session so all my students can feel challenged and nurtured. Special Guest Maria Hanely A passionate advocate for early childhood dance education, Maria Hanley specializes in teaching ages 0 months to 6 years. She has left NYC to teach dancers in the greater Cleveland area. Currently, Maria is teaching early childhood classes at The Mandel JCC, Hudson ...
How can you teach class without a theme? Should you teach dance without a theme? How do you prioritize your class flow to ensure nothing important is missed? How can you structure a large class to ensure no child is missed? Special Guest Corey Lozier Corey Lozier is a dance teacher, studio owner, and dance education resource creator who specializes in tap dance for early childhood. Corey pulls from her hands-on experience with her students in the classroom and from her time in the professi...