Develop Pedagogy (Why Get an MFA Part 3)

Why get an MFA and what practical use does it have in advancing my career? After completing my first year of graduate school at University of Michigan, here are the benefits I’ve experience so far:

1.    Resources for training and research

2.    Networking with industry and academic professionals

3.    Pedagogy and curriculum development

4. Greater appreciation for theory, especially concepts regarding PERFORMANCE, PRACTICE, and PLACE

Dance 100: Intro to House and Waacking (Winter 2019)

3. Pedagogy and curriculum development

I love to teach! This is what I learned about myself this past year. Part of the requirement of the MFA program at the University of Michigan is to work as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI). We teach two introductory dance courses per semester. Our program allows us to create the curriculum and run our classes as the main instructor. This is an incredible opportunity because we are given space to develop our pedagogical approach and teaching philosophy. 

My previous teaching experiences were scattered and inconsistent. I’ve taught at the Taiwanese American Foundation (TAF) Summer Conferences, Breakthrough Urban Ministries’ Youth Dance Team, Hip Hop ConnXion, and various studios. However, this was my first time developing a full 13-week curriculum for a group of eager college students. Inevitably, I experienced self-doubt and uncertainty at first. “What was I, an Asian American, doing teaching hip hop at a university?” I seriously wondered. There are way more qualified people who could be teaching this, yet, I'm the one given the privilege to teach hip hop and street dance at the University of Michigan! This opportunity is truly a blessing and it's a responsibility I take seriously. I hope to do it well and make my mentors proud. 

Co-teaching Dance 100: Intro to Modern (Fall 2018)

Thankfully, our cohort took a grad-level course in pedagogy taught by Professor Jessica Fogel. With the support of my cohort and guidance from Professor Fogel, I was able to receive immediate feedback and implement changes quickly. 
Even still, most of my teaching training came from the ten years I spent in Chicago. I took everything I learned from Hip Hop ConnXion, Primo Dance Troupe, So Swift Crew, Chicago Urban Dance Collective, Boomcrack's Adult Intensive, and Establish Your Empire to create a curriculum for my intro level courses. During my first semester, I taught Intro to Hip Hop with a curriculum that covered social/party dancing, breaking, popping, house, waacking and choreography. During this past winter semester, I taught Intro to Popping and Intro to House and Waacking. I covered some of the various styles within the genre of popping including hits, dime stops, isolations, tutting, roboting, and waving. I attribute my ability to break down technique for beginners to Hip Hop ConnXion because our director, Suave, emphasized teaching foundations. I love seeing my students grasp a concept and get more comfortable in their bodies. I love seeing them gain more confidence and encourage each other during the dreaded cypher circles.

To me, teaching is so much more than helping my students learn some cool moves. I have the opportunity and responsibility to inspire my students to become confident and compassionate leaders that our society so desperately needs. While teaching dance is my passion, developing well-rounded leaders is my calling. Therefore, my goal is for each of my students to leave the class not just as better dancers but as better human beings that can make a positive impact in society. I accomplish this by building each of my classes around four basic principles: foundation, community, culture, and creativity. I developed these principles based on my personal values, which include understanding our history and heritage, cultivating a supportive environment, fostering a culture of hard work ethic and deep compassion, and discovering our personal styles. These values are vital no matter what field of study my students decide to pursue. Therefore, I strive for a holistic, student-centered approach that builds them up as dancers and as individuals.

Dance 100: Intro to Popping (Winter 2019)

If you’re a hip hop and/or street dance educator, let’s connect and share tips on building a proper curriculum to teach the history and culture of street dance and hip hop in schools and studios. Let’s not appropriate and just copy what we see that’s cool on Instagram or Youtube. Let’s appreciate, educate, and contribute in moving the culture forward.