Video of the Month: Texture Over Tricks
May 1, 2015

Congratulations to Samantha Caudle, our Editors’ Choice for the Dance Teacher Video of the Month!

In this video, Caudle leads an audition master class for team tryouts at Origins Dance Academy in Dyer, Indiana. During the session, dancers were evaluated and placed in solos, duets, trios and group pieces for the coming competition season.

Caudle always stresses to dancers the importance of including what she thinks of as texture in their movement and to avoid moving monotonously. “I want to break them out of that habit and encourage them to start moving with dynamic intention,” she says. “Being able to control your movement is just as important as being able to hit it as hard and big as you can, or just do a bunch of tricks.”

After giving the dancers feedback, Caudle demonstrates the combination on her own, dancing full-out. “I wanted them to see how I embody the movement with layers of dynamics and my individual personality so they could feel confident doing the same,” she says. “It’s not about parroting the movement back and looking like me. Everyone should portray it a little differently.”


Want to build buzz about your studio, workshop or class? Posting videos to the Dance Teacher Video of the Month Contest is quick, easy and free. If your video is selected as Editors’ Choice, you’ll be featured on this page, in DT’s newsletter and on our web and social-media pages! Visit dancemedia.com to share your videos and vote for your favorites.