Dance Faculty Bios

Juana Farfan has a BA in Modern Dance Performance from the University of South Florida, and holds a certification from the Teachers Training Institute in Dance Education. Recently, Juana traveled to her hometown Bogotá-Colombia, to give an artistic residency at her school in arts curriculum integration. In the past, she has been a teaching artist for Georgia Perimeter College, Dynamic X-Change- CORE Performance Company Outreach Program, and Playmaking for Girls at Synchronicity Theatre Company. Juana is certified in Grounded Kids Yoga and Brain Compatible Dance Education with Anne G. Gilbert.

Cara Lavallee A graduate of William Smith College (BA, Dance) and Temple University (EdM, Dance), Cara believes the arts are a vehicle for self-discovery as well as a window into diverse perspectives and experiences. She works to build a performing arts program that values individuality and community. Cara was the Dance Director at The Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, PA for eight years. At Galloway, Cara aims to highlight the many talented dancers we have in our midst and to foster an environment of inclusion and belonging, regardless of where a student is on their dance journey.

Dance at Galloway

With Creative Movement and/or Dance offered at every grade level, this discipline is an integral aspect of arts education at Galloway. In Early Learning, dance concepts and skills are explored in a class called Creative Movement. In CM, the creative process is used to explore numerous topics and ideas through play and movement expression. Whether students are learning about insects, weather systems or outer space, CM pairs these classroom units with the Dance Elements of Time, Space, Energy and Body Awareness in order to creatively examine these topics. Students build movement confidence in CM that then empowers them to become movement artists.

In Middle Learning, we shift our movement exploration to specific dance styles, identifying what is historically unique about each style. Starting in ML, dance will focus on technique, learning and creating choreography, and preparing for performance. As students progress through our ML program they have the opportunity to explore Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip-Hop and Contemporary dance styles. Guest artist masterclasses are a significant part of our curriculum.

Upper Learning builds two stage performances each year that include both student and faculty choreography. The focus in UL is on developing Dance Artists through Dance Literacy. Students who wish to pursue dance in college do not only have a movement background but are able to write about and discuss dance as an art form in critical and meaningful ways. Our UL dancers also attend the KSU Dance Festival each year, create Dance Portfolios and are introduced to Movement Science and Anatomy.

When she awoke every morning, she repeated the same words: I will not be afraid -Sarah J

Maas

Audrey

With love and excitement for your next stage, Mom, Dad & Cole