Dear Dance Colleagues,
Not many people know this about me, but some of my happiest memories and most life-changing experiences can be traced back to the years spent at my childhood dance studio in Dubai. And it was reading Dance Teacher that inspired me to return to my home studio as a dance instructor 10 years later. Little did I know that one day I would become Dance Teacher’s new editor in chief—introducing myself to thousands of other fellow dance teachers and readers.
Dance teachers like you have shaped my path every step of the way—right from the time I learned to stand in first position in my baby ballet class, to my formative years as a trainee teacher at the Royal Academy of Dance, to finally taking the leap into becoming a dance writer. And through it all, I’ve pas de bourrée’d back and forth several times between some very challenging and inspiring moments.
Not many people may know about the highs and lows you’ve experienced in your career, but I see you. We at Dance Teacher see you (even through our face masks).
We see your grit and your resiliency in the face of adversity.
We see you weigh your accomplishments and disappointments evenly and still ask yourself, “What’s next?”
We see you preparing for performances that may or may not happen, auditions and summer intensives that may end up entirely online, competitions your students may never make it to, and college programs that may not even exist a few years from now.
We see you persevering to educate the next generation about the storied history of our artform and the lineages that continue to reimagine and shape the future of dance education.
We see you speaking up against injustices and committing to make this world a better place for all your students.
So frankly, nothing brings me and all of us here at Dance Teacher more joy than to advocate for you and your needs. And I’m excited to get to work!
In the next few months, I’ll be bringing you dance-related news from across the nation and the globe, sharing informative and impactful content on social media, and introducing new and exciting virtual offerings such as our Dance Teacher+ membership platform which is all set to launch in early 2022. As a member, you’ll enjoy exclusive content including expert advice, dance history profiles, technique columns, and the much-needed opportunity to engage with a community of like-minded dance professionals. I’ll also share small business tips, tricks, and stories with Dance Business Weekly, which I’ll also be heading as editor in chief.
So let’s get to know each other. Send me a note at [email protected] and tell me about yourself and what you most look forward to reading on Dance Teacher. I’d love to hear your ideas, your stories, and your concerns.
I can’t wait to hear from you!
With excitement and gratitude,
Reanne Rodrigues
