Children’s Classes
As a children’s dance educator since 2018, Olivia loves sharing the joy of movement with her young students. Olivia is a children’s teaching artist with The Arts League, Cardell Dance Studio, and BalletX’s Dance eXchange program. In 2019 and 2020, Olivia taught creative movement to 4-7 year olds on Outschool.com, creating a virtual space for joy and dance whilst children’s lives were turned upside down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In Spring 2022, Olivia taught creative movement at Salamander Arts after school program.
Olivia’s pedagogy is informed by recent studies in movement development with the Laban Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies, as well as by Anne Green Gilbert’s BrainDance method. She aims to foster integrated neuromotor patterning and development in her students through structured exercises and imaginative games designed to promote musculoskeletal alignment and proprioception. Her classes are a safe space for children to explore movement and gain cognitive, behavioral, and social skills. As an educator, Olivia aims to affirm children’s agency, empower them creatively and to instill in them a love of movement.
You can sign your child up to dance with Olivia here:
Ages 3-5: Cardell Dance Studio
Ages 5-6: The Arts League
https://university-city-arts-league.jumbula.com/Winter2024ArtAfterSchool/CreativePlayDanceandDraw
Ages 8-9: BalletX’s Dance eXchange Program
Adult Classes
Olivia teaches adult contemporary movement classes at University City Arts League.
Beginner/Open Level Contemporary Movement: This open level, beginner-oriented contemporary movement class focuses on finding flow and grounding. In a warm and welcoming class environment, we will work together to find relaxation and nurture your unique creative expression. We will respect and honor the knowledge of all of our bodies, whilst creating new possibilities for joy and play in movement. The class will consist of a warm up, creative movement explorations, and a cool down. No prior movement experience is necessary.
Intermediate/advanced contemporary movement: This intermediate/advanced level contemporary movement class focuses on finding grounding and total body connectivity. We will find flow in movement and nurture our unique creative expressions. With a sense of play and discovery, we will work towards integrative movement patterns through exploring dynamic alignment and kinetic chains. The class is structured to facilitate nervous system regulation, and each participants’ embodied experience is honored and respected through a trauma-informed teaching framework. The class will consist of a warmup, an expressive/creative component, and a cool down. Prior dance experience is recommended.
In Spring 2021, Olivia offered adult movement classes through Poético Dance Collective, including a site specific choreography workshop and a sunset Movement Meditation class.
