Hello!
We are excited to announce our upcoming Dance Educator June Retreat! It is going to be such an incredible event! Our vision with this retreat is to get 16 Dance Educators with different backgrounds, experience and education together for an inspiring weekend getaway! We will have multiple Master Classes, Break Out Sessions and Technique Classes all geared for us as Dance Educators! Our goal is for you to leave this weekend workshop with more motivation, a plethora of ideas, activities and concepts that you can apply right away in your own classroom. One of the big focuses is Networking! Networking is a powerful tool in any profession. Let’s take this time to become friends and learn skills from one another!
What kind of teacher would enjoy this retreat you ask?? ALL! Studio teachers, highschool teachers, elementary teachers, and choreographers. Teachers from any genre; Jazz, Ballet, Modern, Hip hop, Contemporary, Technique, and more! We want a huge variety. If you want to reignite that fire for teaching, learn something new, or grow your business this event is for you!
It will begin on Friday, June 12th at 4:00 pm and will be done Sunday, June 14th at 11am Included will be: 5 catered meals, educational supplies, instruction from master teachers and room and board. We are renting a beautiful AirBnB in Salt Lake City UT at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Pricing is only $399 for EVERYTHING! We have an early bird special because we love you! It will only be $350 for the first week of Registration. What?? $350 for 5 meals, 2 night stay, tons of classes, problem solving, and inspiration. Yup that’s right!!! We want this to be affordable for you and your teachers!!! Register by March 6th to receive $50 off!
The agenda is as follows:
Friday :: June 12, 2020
3:00- Check in
4:00 -Teachers meet
4:30- Dinner, Round Robin, Mission Statements
5:30-6:30 Tight Mind Tips: For Mentally Strong Dancers Amy Drage
7:00-9:00 Effective Lesson Planning/Proper Warm Up/Dance Anatomy- Group 1 Amanda Sowerby
Effective Lesson Planning/Proper Warm Up/Dance Anatomy- Group 2 Lori Higbee
10:00- Games, Chatting, Treats
Saturday :: June 13, 2020
7:30: Sunrise Movement- Natalie Porter
8:30: Breakfast/Round Robin
9:45-10:45 Warm Up the Brain and the Body: The Practice of Creativity- Sara Pickett
11:15-1:15 From Play to Form: Improvisation as a Means to Composition.– Sara Pickett
Infusing Creativity Amidst Technique: Studio Choreography- Natalie Porter
1:15-2:00 Lunch
2:00-4:00 “Technique”
Implementing Therabands and Other Tools in a Classroom” – Autumn Roberts
5:30 Dinner
6:30 Round Robin
8:00-9:00 Studio Owner Problem Solving: Group 1 Shalese Kapp
Classroom Management : Group 2- Maddi Jones
10:30 Games, Chatting, and Fun
Sunday :: June 14, 2020
9:00 Breakfast
10:00 Surveys and Discussion
11:00 Check out
Meet the Teachers
Warm up the Brain and Body: The Practice of Creativity, From Play to Form: Improvisation as Means to Composition
Sara Pickett is a passionate teacher who believes in the pure joy of moving by connecting to groove and kinesthetic exploration. She has been teaching and choreographing for major universities, various schools and entertainment companies in Utah and Colorado for over twenty years. Mrs. Pickett is a creator and co-producer of BRINE, a presenting organization for local dance artists in Salt Lake City, now in its sixth season. She is an Assistant Professor Lecturer at University of Utah School of Dance. She received her MFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah as a recipient of a University Teaching Award, and her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Weber State University where she was the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships including the Lindquist Creative Arts Fellowship. She enjoys her roles as a Board member of the Utah Dance Education Organization and the National Water Dance. Mrs. Pickett’s choreography has been performed in BRINE, at the University of Utah, Idaho State University, Weber State University, Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University, Sugarspace, and the American College Dance Festival, among others. She danced professionally with Rick Robinson’s Total Control, and was a core member of Millennium, a hip hop dance company in Denver, Co. with Kenny Jimenez. Sara has been a featured performer and guest artist for companies in the Salt Lake City and Denver area and her favorite solo was in Lynn Barr’s Bollero on top of a massive water fountain in Urbino, Italy.
Tight Mind Tips: for Mentally Strong Dancers
Amy Drage is a dancer, teacher, mentor, speaker, mother, and wife! Whatever hat you have she”ll try that too! She owns Academy West with 3 other family members. Amy runs the dance program, teach recreational and competitive dance, teach all levels of gymnastics, choreograph competitive and recreational dance routines, choreograph high level optional gymnastics routines, and run staff trainings. She has a passion for teaching the art of dance through positivity and sharing the knowledge that she has gained along the way. Amy seeks education and knowledge in different ways and continue my education as much as possible: Dance clinics/trainings/camps, Gymnastics congress/trainings/camps, Full Circle Retreat breakout teacher, and reading and studying as often as possible on the full aspects of dance, gymnastics, business, family, children, psychology and life!There are certain things that work and certain things that don’t! To share and brainstorm with other like minded individuals is what will help the dance world expand to new and higher places. She loves to read and is an amazing crocheter.
Dance Essentials for all genres: Cohesive Lesson Plans: Encompassing all Aspects of Dance
Lori Higbee has been teaching, choreographing, and performing for over 22 years. She danced in the modern dance program at Utah State University and received her BA in Dance Pedagogy from University of Idaho in Moscow and Is certified in Elementary Labonotation. Lori is currently the Artistic Director of the modern program at Just Dance Arts Academy in Lehi, Utah where she oversees all of the contemporary companies. She is the director/owner of Reach Dance Company, a humanitarian based touring company and has toured to places such as Peru, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico teaching and performing for underserved communities. She is a Master Lead Teacher for Minding Motion for Graceful Aging, a specialized movement program for the elderly and those with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Lori is currently the Utah Dance Education Organization President and she is passionate about the art of dance, dance education, and sharing the power of dance with others.
The Body Trajectory: Lesson Plan Development to Guide Dance Class Learning
Amanda Sowerby is the Associate Dean of Weber State University’s Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities and is a Professor of Dance within their Department of Performing Arts. She received her MFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah and her BFA in Dance from the California Institute of the Arts. She worked for several years with the Gary Palmer Dance Company in California’s Bay Area and assisted in setting new and repertory pieces on the National Ballet of Peru and the National Ballet of Chile, as well as implementing outreach programs in dance for Bay Area community members. She has performed with the National Ballet’s of Chile and Peru, Enrico Labayen’s Lab Projekt USA, Yasmin Mehta’s California Contemporary Dancers, and Todd Courage/Courage Group. Amanda’s own choreographic work has been presented at Dance Theatre Workshop (NY, NY), Theatre Artaud (SF, CA), Diesel Cathedral (SF, CA), Dance Mission (SF, CA), and The Rose Wagner Theater (SLC, UT). She has served on the board of the Utah Dance Education Organization as President (2015-2018) and as the Higher Education Representative (2007-2013).
Sunrise Movement, & Infusing Creativity Amidst Technique: Studio Choreography
Natalie Willes Porter has danced and been an arts advocate all her life. She received her bachelor’s degree in Dance Performance from Weber State University in May 2011 where she received full tuition scholarships in choir and dance each semester she was there. While attending Weber State, Natalie performed with Orchesis Dance Theater (2006-2011), Moving Company, attended American College Dance Festival Association, attended a worldwide acknowledged conference at Dance Theater Workshop in New York City where she was able to attend classes there as well as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Broadway Dance Center. She has been fortunate enough to bestow her love of dance through teaching and coaching others in studios, drill teams, and award-winning solos. She taught for The Dance Establishment (2008-2010), Infinity Dance in Ogden and Brigham City (2010-2016), coached the Box Elder High School Rockettes (2010-2011), and has taught and received awards on countless number of solos through the years as well. In 2016, Natalie because an ISSA certified personal trainer and was able to train clients pertaining to workouts and nutritional guidance within a gym atmosphere. Natalie’s greatest calling in life has been her family. Married in the Bountiful LDS Temple to her husband of 10 years, they are blessed with three perfect children, Paizli (6), Greyson (3), and Beckham (3 months).
“Technique”- Implementing Therabands and Other Tools in a Classroom
Autumn Roberts is the Director of our Artistic Troupe program at Dance Impressions. She has a beautiful talent in choreography and has been doing what she loves and teaching for over 18 years. Autumn is certified in Paula Morgan Technique and has instituted the visionary program — enhancing strength, flexibility and movement — into many of the classes at Dance Impressions. Autumn is the mother to the cutest little boys Axton and Ezra, and wife to Evan Roberts.
Q&A with Full Circle Dance
Who are you guys?: Hello! Our names are Shalese Kapp and Maddi Jones! We are best friends and the founders of a new Dance Education Organization called Full Circle Dance! We have both taught for many years inside and outside of Public Education. We are passionate about dance education, motherhood, self-help podcasts and cheesecake.
What can you offer me?: Funny you ask, we will be hosting “Teachers Teaching Teachers” Workshops every other month along the Wasatch Front. These workshops will be taught by a variety of master teachers and cover a broad range of topics.
Why the name Full Circle?: We are all products of wonderful dance teachers. And now it is our turn to be that wonderful dance teacher in the lives of our young dancers. Education is cyclical and that is where we came up with the name Full Circle Dance.
Can I receive Re-Licensure Points for attending?: Heck yes, you can! We offer the same Certificate of Completion that UDEO offers. And following the State rules, you will receive 1 pt. per hour of workshop.
You guys are awesome, where can I follow you?: Why thanks, you’re awesome too. Follow along with us at @full_circle_dance on Instagram.