Tag: what my teacher taught me

What My Teacher Taught Me: Makayla Ryan on Tap Dancer and Choreographer Anthony Morigerato

I’ve had the privilege of working with a lot of really wonderful people, but one of the most meaningful teachers in my life is tap dancer and choreographer Anthony Morigerato. I took his class for the first time at Nuvo Dance Convention in 2011 and, soon after that, he started coming to choreograph at my […]

What My Teacher Taught Me: Tap Dancer and Educator Charles Renato on Adriana Brunato

I was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, and discovered tap dancing when I was just 6 years old. I was in the audience of my sister’s dance recital when a little boy took the stage and started tapping. I was mesmerized and immediately asked my parents if they could put me in class as […]

What My Teacher Taught Me: The Dance Awards Teen Best Dancer Hailey Bills on Her Mother, Stacy Bills

My mom, Stacy Bills, is easily the most influential dance teacher I’ve ever had. She knows what I really need as both an individual and a dancer. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. My mom has a rich dance background. She was a gymnast as a child, then began dancing at Center […]

What My Teacher Taught Me: Gibney Company’s Kevin Pajarillaga on Maleek Washington

Maleek Washington was my first-ever contemporary dance teacher. Before meeting him, I had spent my early childhood doing kung fu and my early teenage years doing street styles and hip hop. It wasn’t until I was 16 that I went to CityDance Conservatory in North Bethesda, Maryland, and met Maleek. He introduced me to Afro-jazz, […]

What My Teacher Taught Me: Colorado Ballet’s Mario Labrador on Ronn Guidi

I started dancing when I was 10 years old at Oakland Ballet Academy under the direction of Ronn Guidi. For nine years, he was my only teacher, setting the foundation for what would one day become my professional career. Through him, I discovered my love, passion, and natural coordination for ballet. Ronn’s professional career included […]

What My Teacher Taught Me: Alonzo King LINES Ballet’s Ilaria Guerra on Alicia Head, Maurya Kerr and Sandra Chinn

My life in dance can be divided into three distinct phases, and each one is supported by my time working with Alicia Head. The first was my introduction to dance at 11 years old, at Lauridsen Ballet Centre in Torrance, California. I trained with their pre-professional company, South Bay Ballet (now called Ballet California), until […]