A dance major while at Denison, Alexandra Rose Cook ‘11, community programs director with Mark Morris Dance Group, now oversees faculty and curricula throughout more than 40 partnerships in New York City.
When Cook began teaching dance in addition to taking dance, she learned a whole new appreciation for the art.
In a Dance Magazine article, she notes:
“There is a pervasive idea that if you are a great dancer, you are automatically qualified to teach, whether you have training or experience in education practices or not. There is also an assumption that training to be a dance educator is only valuable if you’re working with children—that you don’t need it when teaching anyone over the age of 16.
“The reality is teaching is an art all its own. Just as dancers continue to attend class and condition their bodies, educators need to consistently hone their skills. I learned this over the last decade, while teaching in many different environments: across age groups and economic prosperity levels, beginners through advanced, within and outside of academic institutions, for students with and without disabilities, and around the world.”
