The Engaged Core: A Dance Podcast

Episode Seventeen: Setting Teachers up for Success in the Classroom and Instilling the Love of Dance in Pre-Schoolers w/ “Miss Vikki” Weinberger

In this week’s episode, Award winning dancer and choreographer, Vikki Weinberger, discusses her love of teaching and gives tips on pre-school dance education, an area in which she continues to excel.  Are your pre-school classes making you want to pull your hair out?  This episode is for you!  Vikki Weinberger has had a lifelong passion for rhythm and dance.  Originally from Livingston NJ, Vikki grew up dancing competitively at her local home studio, while training professionally at New Jersey School of Ballet, and also in NYC at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway.  In 1999, Vikki was awarded a scholarship to Broadway Dance Center, where she trained daily with countless masters in dance.  Since that time, Vikki has taught in and around San Diego and Washington DC, where she spent 15 years as an esteemed dance instructor and choreographer. Her work has been presented at The White House, the Kennedy Center, Disney World, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Nigel Lithgow’s National Dance Day, the DC Tap Festival, & FOX 5.  For over a decade she was Artistic Director of the award winning pre-professional youth tap company Soles of Steel, faculty member at Joy of Motion Dance Center, and conservatory faculty and choreographer at CityDance School & Conservatory. Vikki finds joy inspiring others through dance, and currently teaches Tap, Hip Hop, Jazz, Musical Theater, and Ballet to all ages and levels. For more information on this week’s guest, check her out at on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/vdance11/] Interested in being a part of our NEW Facebook Group for Teachers?  Check us out online at The Engaged Core Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/theengagedcore]

Episode Sixteen: Balancing Artistic Passion with Academic Expectations w/ Briana Cheng

In this week’s episode, recent college graduate and scholar Briana Cheng, discusses the importance dance played in her scholastic journey.   This is a great episode for dancers struggling with pursuing artistic passion in the face of academic expectations.   Briana Cheng’s dance journey started at Triangle Dance studio where she studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary.  After many years at Triangle, Briana moved to China where she studied dance at the Shanghai American School before moving to Maryland where she attended Bullis School and participated in the Bullis Dance program.  Briana made an indelible mark on the program at Bullis and only after a year served as a Teacher’s Assistant before earning awards multiple awards for Excellence in Dance.   For more information on this week’s guest, check her out at on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/brikate29/] Interested in being a part of our NEW Facebook Group for Teachers?  Check us out online at The Engaged Core Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/theengagedcore]

Episode Fifteen: Choosing the Love of Dance over the Fear of Failure w/ Rachel Matson

In this week’s episode, recent EDC Alumni, Rachel Matson discusses how her unwavering love for dance helped her overcome her fear of failure.   Rachel Matson started her dance journey many years ago at Ballet Petite, before seeing a Hip Hop dance class and deciding to leave the ballet slippers in the dust.  Rachel has studied Hip Hop and Commercial dance at Joy of Motion in HYPE’s Company prep and Groove Elements teams, and is currently finishing up her 4th and final year of High School dance in EDC’s Senior Company.  In addition to her love of dance, Rachel has coached Field Hockey with the Chicken League and is an assistant teacher for Devinio Dance and Elements Urban Arts Collective.   This Fall, Rachel will be entering her freshman year at Indiana University.   For more information on this week’s guest, check her out at on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rebellious_rach/] Interested in being a part of our NEW Facebook Group for Teachers?  Check us out online at The Engaged Core Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/theengagedcore]

Episode Fourteen: Creating Brave Spaces and Mentally Supporting Our Dancers w/ Dr. Damon Silas

A very important conversation about creating healthy, brave spaces for dancers and teachers because we all need support!   Dr. Damon Silas has been a psychologist for over 15 years, working with a wide range of populations and issues including but not limited to juvenile delinquents and at-risk youth; children and adolescents on the autistic spectrum; and the Active Duty military population.  Anxiety and trauma (including PTSD) are his specialty areas, as well as grief and loss. In addition to his professional work, Damon is a lifelong dancer & artist and has taught in DC and now North Carolina area, as well as performed nationally and internationally with Culture Shock DC, AfterShock DC, Contradiction Dance, and Aysha Upchurch’s Life, Rhythm, Move Project.  For more information about Dr. Silas, check him out at https://damonsilaspsychology.com/ [https://damonsilaspsychology.com/] Interested in being a part of our NEW Facebook Group for Teachers?  Check us out online at The Engaged Core Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/theengagedcore]

Episode Thirteen: Why All Athletes Should Take A Dance Class w/ Steven Attah

Athlete, Steven Attah, discusses what made him decide to join a dance class and how what he learned made him a better athlete.   Steven Attah’s exposure to the dance world consisted of studying in the Bullis Dance Ensemble during his high school years.  An avid athlete, Steven benefited from the coordination and balance dance brought him during his varsity football and track & field seasons.  Steven continued his athletic endeavors during his time at Dean College and Stevenson University where he studied business and psychology and soon developed a clothing line named after his brother, Prince Lawrence. Currently, Steve is working as a Learning Hub Specialist at his alma mater Bullis School while studying to become a mortgage broker. “Don't let people's opinions become your reality!” -Steven Attah,  Athlete/Dancer For more information about Steven, check her out on Instagram. [https://www.instagram.com/witness_the_rise/] Interested in being a part of our NEW Facebook Group for Teachers?  Check us out online at The Engaged Core Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/theengagedcore]