Episode 123: Shannon Dooling-Cain
I am so grateful to have Shannon Dooling-Cain joining me for episode 123! Shannon is a dance educator, choreographer, writer, and founder of The Holistic Dance Teacher. She combines her love of writing with her love for the dance community in her work with The Holistic Dance Teacher. Through her blog, resource collection, and in-person events, Shannon helps dancers, choreographers, and dance teachers elevate their dance life and find more joy in the dance studio. I also love how her approach helps students grow not only in dance technique and artistry, but also in their overall well-being through social and emotional learning.
Shannon and I definitely have a similar heartbeat in wanting to foster a positive classroom environment and recognizing the power of a teacher to create that community. We talk about Shannon’s work as a teacher, choreographer, and also her time working with the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO), where she was involved in research, advocacy, and writing.
One of my favorite parts of our conversation is when Shannon shares about the importance of prioritizing ourselves as educators. The tendency is to give and give and give, and then end up in a place of burnout. She gives practical wisdom on discernment and prioritizing both our own and our students’ well-being. I hope this conversation encourages you today!
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About Shannon:
Shannon Dooling-Cain is a dance educator, choreographer, writer, and founder of The Holistic Dance Teacher. Through her blog, resource collection, and in-person events, Shannon helps dancers, choreographers, and dance teachers elevate their dance life and find more joy in the dance studio. She holds an MFA from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a BA in Dance from DeSales University. Shannon has had the great joy of teaching students from age 2-60+, novice through professional levels, as a guest artist and faculty member at dance studios, colleges, K-12 schools, and community outreach programs. Using The Holistic Dance Teacher Approach, Shannon helps students grow in dance techniques, artistry, and overall well-being through social and emotional learning. As a choreographer, she works in both musical theatre and concert dance, creating innovative work for students and professionals. Her goal as a choreographer is to make work that empowers participants and engages audiences, providing an opportunity for both groups to see themselves, their communities, and the world in a new and more thoughtful, positive way. To learn more about Shannon and The Holistic Dance Teacher, please visit www.shannondoolingdances.com
Links from the Show:
- The Holistic Dance Teacher
- Shannon Dooling Dances
- Episode 6 with Cynthia Newland
- Episode 89 with Cynthia Newland
- NDEO (National Dance Education Organization)
- University of Maryland
- “In Defense of the Dance Major” by Shannon Dooling-Cain
- National Honor Society for Dance Arts
Connect with Shannon:
On Instagram
On Facebook
Email: shannondoolingdances@gmail.com