Teaching Bio
In spring 2024, I joined the faculty at Ballet Virginia, where I currently teach 2 weekly classes in ballet and contemporary/jazz for their Lower School, as well as 1 weekly intermediate ballet class for their Adult Program.
My training as a dance educator includes the successful completion of programs offered by:
Mark Morris Dance Group's Teaching Artist Training Program,
National Dance Institute Collaborative for Teaching & Learning,
and American Ballet Theatre's National Training Curriculum.
Please review my teaching resume for details on these programs and on my other qualifications.
Teaching Resume
Alexandra Cook
Youth & Family Programs Director,
The School at Mark Morris Dance Group
“Since the moment I met Helen, she has demonstrated all the characteristics most important to excellent teaching:
a thoughtful observational eye, an empathetic spirit, and a passion for continuously learning.
Helen is reliable, communicative,
and team-oriented.
She works hard to ensure that her teaching is conscientious and considerate of the needs of the students while also providing opportunities for dancers to
strive and meet a challenge.
I highly recommend her.”
Mary A. Seidman
Artistic Director,
Mary Seidman & Dancers
"Helen is attentive to the needs of all students, and she thinks proactively about content material. Helen has a strong speaking voice which lends authority to leading children,
especially during transitions.
Helen is a consummate dancer and technician. She takes delight in demonstrating phrases, or participating in improvisations as the children would. She is imaginative and creative, perceptive and empathetic.
Helen is quite versed in the history and culture of dance. She is able to discuss current topics, performances, and performers, seeing the big picture outside the classroom and how, as an early childhood dance teacher, she is helping to shape the learner, the culture, the world in the beauty and
discipline of art and dance."
Avital Asuleen
Choreographer, Director, & Teaching Artist
"Helen is a warm and enthusiastic teaching artist who deeply cares about the experience of each and every student in her classroom.
She cultivates a positive learning environment, has a keen eye for details, is a standout administrator and communicator, and creates fun, level appropriate choreography.
It was such a pleasure to mentor her during the 2021 Mark Morris Teacher training program and I am just thrilled to see how much she has developed as a teaching artist in the two
years I have known her.
She will be a great asset to the next
arts organization she joins!"
Where I've Taught
The School at the
Mark Morris Dance Center
This fully inclusive and nurturing recreational environment offers a varied slate of community-based dance and music programs. Thanks to my work at The School, I now have experience working in the following dance-education settings:
weekly structured dance classes for children and tweens,
parent-toddler movement,
creative movement for preschoolers,
thematic dance/music/theatre camps for school-age children,
adaptive dance training for
students with disabilities,
and pre-professional teen intensives (which included assisting MMDG company director and members with setting company repertoire).
AhHa! Broadway
AhHa! Broadway sends teaching artists into New York City public schools for semesterlong musical-theatre residencies. For my contract with this nonprofit, I designed and implemented a 10-week dance/acting/music curriculum for kindergartners through second-graders. The residency culminated in a special showcase performance, for which our budding triple threats performed 2 full-length musical numbers I choreographed for the occasion.
K-Classic Ballet Studio
K-Classic is a small but mighty pre-professional ballet academy in Kyōto, Japan. Its students regularly appear in the international finals of major competitions like Youth America Grand Prix, and many later join the ranks of companies such as American Ballet Theatre. One summer in college, I served as K-Classic's first teaching intern from outside Japan. I assisted with class and rehearsal (for dancers from preschool- to middle school-age), handled administrative matters, performed routine cleaning of the studio, and answered prospective parents' questions. All responsibilities were carried out in Japanese.
Mark Morris Dance Group Community Education Programs
I was fortunate to serve as an Assistant Teaching Artist for the full breadth of MMDG's diverse community-education offerings. My work with this department took me into community recreational centers around New York City as part of free after-school programming; to public elementary school libraries for MMDG's signature Dance, Music, & Literacy program; and to magnet schools for an intensive course in Horton Technique.