This article examines the role of humor and playfulness in higher education dance training, particularly in addressing creative apprehensiveness in a postpandemic context. It discusses how the intentional inclusion of these elements can foster an environment of trust and collaboration among students. The research highlights the challenges students faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on creative arts education, including the effects of disembodied approaches to teaching and learning, as well as the impact on students’ sense of belonging. Drawing on the author’s extensive experience as a dance facilitator and educator, the article presents strategies to address creative apprehensiveness, including key approaches to creating an atmosphere of ease and equality, prioritizing social and physical preparation, encouraging student-led contributions, and modeling authenticity and vulnerability. These methods are found not only to support creative learning, but also to promote overall well-being.

The terms wellness and somatics are both trendy words. This article shares the author’s insights on enhancing dancer wellness through the lens of somatics in her work as a modern dance and hatha yoga teacher. Pedagogical observations and personal experiences are included to emphasize and articulate the significance of incorporating somatic practices into one’s teaching, dancing, and living as a way to focus on and enhance one’s wellness. By including somatic practices in studio technique classes, teachers can offer their students an opportunity to connect to their bodies, their breath, and their minds in a deep and holistic way. In doing so, students’ overall health and wellness as dancers and as young adults living in the world today are positively affected. Ideas for how to incorporate somatic moments into movement class are offered.

This article positions the Talawa Technique and Smaddiaesthetics as two interwoven frameworks that generate the pedagogical and philosophical approach of Dancing W.E.L.L. Grounded in Africana movement systems, the Talawa Technique develops embodied kinetic propulsive recursion—the capacity to sustain motion through rhythmic accumulation rather than depletion—and Smaddiaesthetics affirms the dancer’s right to show up fully. Together, they frame exhaustion as a generative threshold, reorganized through rhythm, groove, and community-sourced momentum into motion, refinement, and self-authorship. It reframes wellness as something produced within dance itself—through recursive rhythm, strategic relaxation, and the unapologetic infusion of identity into technique. This is not about surviving pressure; it is about moving through it, rhythmically.

When professional development events omit care, they can leave participants feeling drained, bored, and uninspired. Practitioner Exchanges (PXs) offer an antidote by centering care. PXs are informal community roundtable conversations around a particular inquiry topic, hosted by dance educators for dance educators. This article explores how PXs weave together three strands of care—care for questioning, care for self, and care for the collective—to create an essential space for practitioners to reengage, refuel, and recognize their own power.

This study explores how dance students used generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools to enhance their learning experiences. In the first case, students used ChatGPT-3.5 Turbo to draft dance performance reviews, overcoming language barriers. In the second case, students used GPT-4o to brainstorm ideas for site-specific dances. The findings demonstrate the potential benefits of integrating GenAI, including improved written work and creative expression. The study cautions about the limitations of GenAI tools and provides constructive insights on better utilization.

In this article, we explore the transformational power of holistic studio culture in dance education, drawing from our personal experiences growing up in dance studios that engaged in community events and dance competitions. Unlike traditional studios bound by a single technique, our formative environments embraced a rich tapestry of dance experiences, including community involvement, competitions, and workshops. This diversity has significantly shaped our approaches to teaching dance today. We aim to demonstrate how embracing a holistic studio culture can enrich dance education, providing a model for fostering creativity and inclusivity in the classroom. Through this reflection, we invite readers to consider the impact of varied dance experiences on educational practices and student development.

ABSTRACTIn the independent sector, Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance form, is predominantly taught to children and young adults. This article follows my journey as an educator developing a Bharatanatyam class for adults. What would a class designed specifically for adults look like? I share the teaching strategies I employed to deliver the classes effectively online. I take a participatory approach to teaching the classes and, in doing so, widen the scope of teaching Bharatanatyam within the independent sector.