Educational Background/Training

Teaching/Performing Artist and Faculty: Teaching Artists and Staff | Local Motion Project

Sara Lavan, Founder and Executive/Artistic Director of Local Motion Project (LMP) has been developing curriculum and pedagogical approaches to dance education for over 25 years. She holds a BA in English and American Literature, with a minor in dance, form New York University. She studied and trained in NYC for 17 years before moving to Alexandria and her continuing education journey is ongoing. Examples of past certifications and topics include Pilates from the Kane School of Integration, Post Partum-Prenatal Pilates with Deobrah Goodman, Franklin Method with Eric Franklin, and other facilitators, multiple courses with National Dance Education Organization, Embodied Meaning with Alexandra Bellar, and Dance for PD (Parkinsons Disease) a program by the Mark Morris Dance Group. She has been teaching people of all ages for over 30 years and has developed youth programs and professional development for dance and classroom educators. In addition to her work at Local Motion Project, she is a teaching artist with Dance West Virginia, Encore Creativity for Older Adults, and the Kennedy Center.

For more on Sara, and other teaching artists and their backgrounds, use links above.

About the Artist/Ensemble

Teaching/Performing artists at LMP uphold the mission of the organization, and have inclusive practices imbedded in their approach and content. All teaching artists have access to professional development related to diversity, inclusion, equity, and access, as well as classroom management, social emotional learning, and culturally responsive classrooms. We are dynamic and our teaching reflects current educational philosophies, relevant topics in the field, and an ongoing desire to create a more inclusive and accessible experience in dance education- no matter what age or ability.

Teaching artists at LMP engage with people who are diverse in race, gender, age, body type, intellectual/developmental ability, and other aspects of identity. Artists, educators, and students have access to a variety of engaging classes and workshops that are dynamic and are responsive to the needs in the community, social issues, current education philosophies and up to date exercise science. Dance programs teach to create, perform, and understand movement as a form of artistic expression. Our curriculum includes accuracy in dance history, safe and well-researched approaches to movement, imbedded social emotional learning practices, and exposure to the many ways dance exists in the world. All dance and movement experiences emphasize the importance of movement as it relates to well-being, creativity, and building community. Programs encourage participants to create, perform, and understand movement as a form of artistic expression in a supportive and non-competitive environment.

Educational Program Description

Programming at LMP engages with people who are diverse in race, gender, age, body type, intellectual/developmental ability, and other aspects of identity. Artists, educators, and students have access to a variety of engaging classes and workshops that are dynamic and are responsive to the needs in the community, social issues, current education philosophies and up to date exercise science. Dance programs teach to create, perform, and understand movement as a form of artistic expression. The curriculum includes accuracy in dance history, safe and well-researched approaches to movement, imbedded social emotional learning practices, and exposure to the many ways dance exists in the world. All dance and movement experiences emphasize the importance of movement as it relates to well-being, creativity, and building community.

 Local Motion Project offers a wide variety of dance and professional development experiences and can tailor each one for specific needs.

Examples Include, but are not limited to:

Youth Dance Residencies: Students will explore the Elements of Dance (Body Action Space Time Energy) and how they relate to different dance genres and dance-making. Collaboratively students will learn to create choreography inspired by different styles of dance, art, and or books. These classes inspire children to create and understand dance, collaborate with their peers, and find joy in movement. Teaching artists can implement cross-curricular lesson planning.

Movement for Creativity and Well-being: For adults 60+ This course aims to enhance the participants’ relationship with their body. Movement (and its quality) can increase strength, mobility, balance, flexibility – and joy! Classes are inspired by elements of fitness and dance. No previous experience necessary – open to all! The ability to stand for short periods of time is recommended. Class will incorporate seated movement and a full seated option for those who prefer or need it. We can provide chair specific classes.

Community Dance Making:  Come together as we explore the elements of dance, improvisational and dance making. In this collective experience we will come together to create a dance based on ideas curated from the participants. This workshop will be guided, and each participant can participate at their level of comfort. See what happens when live art is created in the community! These are great for team building.

Professional Development for Classroom Teachers- Dance Integration: This workshop allows elementary teachers to experience the benefits of dance integration, teaching classroom content and dance side-by-side, through active participation and collaboration. Teachers will with concrete tools and repeatable methods to engage all students, including English Learners and those with disabilities. The methods shared in the workshop can be easily and immediately integrated into any class or content area. Resources are shared.

Professional Development Dance Educators: Inspired teaching. This workshop addresses current topics and issues in dance education and how they impact studio and K-12 curriculum and pedagogy. Local Motion Project believes studio dance education is a vital component in keeping the field of dance alive and thriving. Workshop participants will explore how to: implement equitable and inclusive policies and programming, include dance-making as an essential component to your curriculum, incorporate props, help students increase body awareness, imbed social-emotional learning strategies into the curriculum and pedagogy, ignite a passion for continued learning in both teachers and student, and identify throughlines in curriculum that tie all ages and genres together.

Fees

Our fees vary widely depending on the program, teaching artist involved, number of participants, distance, and length of offering.

The following are for reference only and to provide a range. We will work with all interested to come up with a program that meets an organization’s specific needs.

2- hour dance workshop: $200-$500

3- hour professional development workshop: $500-$1000

Audiences

• All Ages
• College/University Students
• Adults