Students will identify cultural distinctions of different countries including geography, traditional dress, and dance movements. Students will practice inclusive social skills by answering get-to-know-you questions, sharing their finished coloring pages, and appreciating the coloring pages of other students. 

I have always been passionate about dance, and I have a rich variety of dance experience. Growing up, I took Irish dance lessons for 10 years. I attended Brigham Young University where I received a minor in cultural dance and spent 4 years performing and touring with the BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble. During that time, I received dance training from master dancers and choreographers from around the world including India, Mexico, Serbia, China, Canada, and Hungary, just to name a few. I also taught beginner-level cultural dance classes at the university and a 4-week introduction to Irish dance class for kids ages 5-7. 

I hold a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation, and I’m a certified therapeutic recreation specialist and have experience as a certified adaptive dance instructor. With these credentials, I’m able to adapt my classes to the abilities of all learners and create an inclusive environment for everyone.  

Source material for this class comes primarily from my experience in the world-renowned BYU cultural dance program and the BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble, including dance and cultural training from expert professors and choreographers from around the world and my interactions with dancers and locals around the world during performance tours. 

Additional source material includes: dance and cultural information found in "Recreational Folk Dance" by folk dance experts Susanne J. Davis and Colleen N. West; dance descriptions compiled by folk dance expert Edwin G. Austin; cultural dance information from ums.org (University of Michigan); dance descriptions from folk dance databases such as folkdancecamp.org, folkdancemusings.blogspot.com, and folkdancefootnotes.org; and YouTube videos of professional and/or local dancers or dance groups including P. Virsky Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble, Riverdance, and Moiseyev Dance Company.