Identity in Dance – HVS Movement Studies

Movement Connects

This week, I co-led MAEIA Re-Ignite!- a day-long Professional Learning event for the Michigan Arts Education and Instruction project (MAEIA). We used Simon Sinek‘s The Golden Circle as a lens to reconnect with ourselves, each other, and the arts-education community at large. Representatives from individual schools, school districts, local and state arts organizations, the Michigan…

Biting Your Own Teeth

By: Heather Vaughan-Southard June 30, 2015June 30, 2015

careers in dance, dance, dance education, Identity in Dance, TeachingAlan Watts, dance, dance education, dance therapy, Daria Halprin, identity, Mary Starks Whitehouse6 Comments

According to Pinterest (I know, I know) Alan Watts said, “Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth.” I have written about defining and labeling at several points over the years on this blog as well as for Dance Advantage. I am in the midst of change with my relationship to…

Living Life as an Experiment

By: Heather Vaughan-Southard August 22, 2014August 22, 2014

dance, dance career, dance education, teaching dance3 Comments

Have you ever had that experience in which what you have been wishing for materializes and you can hardly catch your breath? You can hardly believe it is real. It is as if your mind has been read and you find yourself in a place where all the right things align? A place that you…

present and connected

By: Heather Vaughan-Southard July 21, 2014

arts, dance, dance education, Dance in the Annex, dance performance, Identity in Dance, Teaching, teaching dance2 Comments

This weekend I had the distinct honor of presenting at the McEntire Education Summit, hosted by Trent McEntire. Trent and I are old friends- the best kind, where you don’t speak nearly often enough but when you do, it is as if not a day has gone by. Trent is a force in the pilates…

When the Body Answers Back

We know our stories are trapped in our bodies. We know we use our bodies to express personal perspectives within our stories. But what about when the body needs to do the speaking? When I was living in NYC, one of my favorite classes was that of Alexandra Beller. She started each class with us…

David Howard

When I was living in NYC, David Howard’s ballet class saved my soul. In a city where most dance classes felt like an audition, taught by people who didn’t really understand how to warm up a body or just really loved deep plié in second position, with the body folded over- David Howard’s ballet class…

Mind the Gap(s)

Over the last few years I have realized that my role in dance is that of a mediator. This summer, however, I am realizing just how many realms in which this is true. In this, though, I am also more aware of my own biases and working on letting some of those go. Here is…

Renewal: Controlling the Minutiae

Each summer seems to have a theme, beyond that of our television viewing. (See For the Love of the TARDIS) “Dr. Who Summer” continues in all gloriousness. I sobbed over David Tennant but am warming up to Matt Smith. Past years have included “the summer of awakenings”, “the summer of reflection”. This year? The summer…

For the Love of The TARDIS

Last night the Hub and I were discussing why I would make a good traveling companion for The Doctor. (Each summer we “theme” our television/film viewings. So fun!! This summer is Dr. Who, about which we are both now obsessed. Previous summers include Charles Dickens, “W.A”- Woody Allen and Wes Anderson, Agatha Christie’s Poirot and…

Further Pigeons and Their Holes

And then there is the question that follows the conundrum of what I do. “So what kind of dance do you do?” Well, shoot- how much time do you really have? Okay, so I usually say, “mostly modern and jazz, but I have a strong background in ballet.” In truth, I create modern dance works.…