Dance with Lena O.

Hi there! My name is Lena, and I would love to teach you dance! After graduating from the University of Michigan with a BFA in Dance in 2016, I have been working as a professional contemporary dancer as well as dance teacher. I have toured nationally and internationally with companies such as Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, Bombshell Dance Project, Stashi Tanz, and Gushue Moving Arts. And, although I love performing and creating my own choreography, my true passion lies in teaching. I have taught a variety of styles of dance from contemporary and modern to ballet, jazz, and creative movement/improvisation to all levels and ages of dancers. I have taught at dance studios, summer camps, a community college, community centers, and after-school programs. Teaching dance provides me the opportunity to work closely with so many different kinds of people, and share my passion and love for the beautiful art form of dance. When I work with a new student, I am sure to get to know them on a personal level first. I try my best to understand what interests them about dance, their prior experience, and how I can best serve them as a teacher. We then work together to craft a curriculum that will keep them engaged, challenged, and having lots of fun. I am not the type of teacher who focuses solely on technique and tricks. Rather, I prefer to share a more comprehensive understanding of dance. We will work on technique, but also strength training, conditioning, and flexibility, as well as a basic understanding of dance history, the origins of what we are learning physically, and anatomy and the ways our bodies work/move. I also challenge my students pretty early on in their training to start to develop their own artistic voice and expression through improvisational studies and creating their own choreography. In this way, I work with my students to help them become versatile, innovative, intelligent, and creative dancers. If this sounds like something you are interested in exploring, please reach out! I look forward to teaching you soon!