VOICE through movement

WRITTEN BY KELLY CULVER, DANCE INSTRUCTOR AND HEAD DANCE TEAM COACH

When I was in high school, dance was the one constant in my life that I could always count on. No matter what stress or difficult situations I was going through at the time, for those hours that I was in the dance studio, I would forget about everything else and just be one with the music. When words were not enough to express my feelings, I let my body do the talking and I would walk out feeling completely refreshed, both physically and mentally. Dance can be so therapeutic and I hope that students in my class find this same release in their time with me in class. No matter what level of dance experience they have, I believe that anyone can find an outlet through dance and a deeper connection to themselves, their peers, and their experiences.

I also hope that students find new confidence in themselves after taking my class. I focus a lot on doing movement that feels good and trusting yourself, not necessarily copying or mimicking the instructor to do what “looks” good. This helps students discover the way their own bodies move and to be authentic in their own skin.

I not only want students to walk out of my class better dancers, but better people. Dance teaches you so much about life - consistency, grit, perseverance, confidence, accountability....I could go on and on! Like most classes here at OLP, we integrate our mission and the CSJ charism into our curriculum and instruction. It is always my hope that students in dance classes will also gain important life skills as part of their learning take-away.