TEACHING APPROACH

With nearly two decades of teaching experience, I facilitate spaces where students, professional dancers, and non-dancers alike can explore their full potential through the practice of dance and movement.

My work is rooted in the belief that every body holds a unique voice. Through the cultivation of play and curiosity, I guide students to discover their own voice, and the courage to express it freely.

WORKSHOP OFFERINGS

BODIES IN PLAY

“Bodies in play” is a movement exploration based in somatic awareness and contact improvisation. This is a class is geared to both dancers and non-dancers in a beautiful mix of awareness, negotiation, and problem solving through play and connection. Participants will have space to research the bodies' more subtle and fundamental connections.  We work with improvisation and holistic movements to access freedom, flow and self expression.

LITTLE MOVEMENT

What is Little Movement? This 45 minute class offers opportunities to connect and play with your toddler through exploratory movement. It's not a typical technique dance class that kids attend by themselves. This is a guided class where parents/legal guardians and their toddler will engage in lighthearted dance together, collaboratively indulge curiosity, and explore safe yet energetic ways to become more comfortable with the body, spatial awareness, and expressing ourselves through movement

ELEMENTS OF MOVEMENT

This class teaches natural movement and body awareness.  The aim is to reveal a person's full movement potential through exercises that are simple and approachable.  Whether you are a seasoned mover or a first timer, this class will bring you back to the basics so that your movement can be strong and thrive.  We will focus on proper techniques for locomotion, joint mobility, stabilization, muscular activation, and use of the floor.   Exercises will focus on flow and ease, while sharpening spatial awareness, mobility, stability, memory, and sensation.  Come explore the natural mover in you and learn to move with ease and freedom.  Let's explore our nature and find our groove.

JAM

Jam classes ride along the arc of a playlist, moving from slow to upbeat, gentle to ecstatic. The body simultaneously finds itself both old and young, wise and experienced, as it delves into the essence of jamming at any age. Jam was created and developed by Malinda LaVelle, founder of the dance theatre company "Project Thrust," of which Joy has been a long-standing company member.

TEACHING POSITIONS

  • Adjunct Professor of Dance Improvisation, Lecture, Modern, Ballet, Choreography Somatic Movement 2020-current

  • Faculty Ballet, Improvisation, Choreography, Modern Technique, Coaching 2019-2022

  • Guest Instructor for classes, workshops, and dance labs since 2019

    Movement for seniors (an online series), Dance for Adults with Autism, Improvisation, Ballet for Adults, JAM, Little Movement Series

  • Guest Instructor for first year students (March-June 2018) Floorwork, Improvisation Technique

  • Guest teacher and choreographer (2017-2018) Floorwork, Improvisation Technique, Choreography

  • Guest Teacher (June 2016, Feb 2017)
    Ballet

  • Faculty (2015-2016)

  • Guest teacher (2010-2014)

    Ballet, repertoire, movement research, coaching, assistant to Choreographers for professional and pre-professional works

  • Faculty/Rehearsal Director and Resident Choreographer (2010-2014)

  • Guest teacher (2013-2015)

  • Coaching for individuals entering competitions and challenging performance roles