Photo by Gorman Cook Photography, courtesy of Giordano

In our December issue, we hear what professional dancers have to say about their go-to teachers.

Ashley Downs

Giordano Dance Chicago

Chicago, IL

“I appreciate a teacher who is nurturing but who holds me to the highest expectation, not too easygoing or too demanding. The teachers who walk this line have successful, energetic classes.

I also look for a teacher who embraces life: Nan Giordano embodies this. We come to class with individual energy, but she connects us on a communal energy plane. She says, ‘Anything can happen. You never know what’s around the corner.’ It’s all about presence, and Nan is a role model for that.”

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