Dance Teacher Diaries: Recent Episodes
Sarah Jean Watts
As a lifelong dance educator, studio consultant, choreographer, and owner of The Movement Mentor and Barre&Sew, Sarah Jean Watts' goal is to help you grow a well-rounded understanding of how different perspectives in the dance industry fit together. Sarah dissects key concepts and methods in dance training, digs into teacher development and studio management, and helps everyone navigate the student-parent-teacher dynamic. Join us to unlock insider information about the frustrations and the joys of thriving in dance! Explore more at TheMovementMentor.com
Episode 10 of The Dance Teacher Diaries: A Real-Talk Podcast for Dancers (and Everyone Else), your host, Sarah Jean Watts, pulls the curtain back on what happens behind the scenes when creating choreography and what you’re actually paying for in addition to the time spent with dancers. We all benefit from an open conversation about both the physical and mental labor of creative work, and why it doesn’t (and shouldn’t) come for free.
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DM your questions & topic suggestions to us on Instagram @TheMovemementMentor or @DanceTeacherDiaries and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial. You can also contact us through our website here: www.TheMovementMentor.com/DanceTeacherDiaries (let us know if you want your questions to remain anonymous)!
Episode 9 of The Dance Teacher Diaries: A Real-Talk Podcast for Dancers (and Everyone Else), your host, Sarah Jean Watts, warns teachers, dancers, and parents on the dangers of only training for a dominant side of the body, and discusses why we NEED to be working symmetrically. This one isn’t just a chat about dance, it’s vital to the overall health and longevity of dancers’ bodies, now and for their future!
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DM your questions & topic suggestions to us on Instagram @TheMovemementMentor or @DanceTeacherDiaries and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial. You can also contact us through our website here: www.TheMovementMentor.com/DanceTeacherDiaries (let us know if you want your questions to remain anonymous)!
Episode 8 of The Dance Teacher Diaries: A Real-Talk Podcast for Dancers (and Everyone Else) is for DANCERS (and those who love them)! Your host, Sarah Jean Watts, gives some advice about the preparation and perspective dancers need going into Tryout & Audition season for teams and studios. And yes, it’s much more than a couple suggestions about what to do the night before and morning of - there’s even some strategy in here!-- DM your questions & topic suggestions to us on Instagram @TheMovemementMentor or @DanceTeacherDiaries and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial. You can also contact us through our website here: www.TheMovementMentor.com/DanceTeacherDiaries (let us know if you want your questions to remain anonymous)!
In Episode 7 of The Dance Teacher Diaries: A Real-Talk Podcast for Dancers (and Everyone Else), your host, Sarah Jean Watts, outlines the planning process for studios and teams preparing for auditions and tryouts, and what to have in place as we start launching for the next season already! Though it’s directed toward SOs, directors, coaches, and teachers, it’s beneficial for parents and older dancers to hear a little about the backside of this process, and also to know what they should be seeing or listening for from a program that is organized and structured for success.-- DM your questions & topic suggestions to us on Instagram @TheMovemementMentor or @DanceTeacherDiaries and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial. You can also contact us through our website here: www.TheMovementMentor.com/DanceTeacherDiaries (let us know if you want your questions to remain anonymous)!
In Episode 6 of The Dance Teacher Diaries: A Real-Talk Podcast for Dancers (and Everyone Else), your host, Sarah Jean Watts, answers random questions from dancers, parents, and teachers about competitions. Routine lengths, sharing critiques, underwear… This is Volume 1 of our ongoing Q&A series with the questions you’ve wanted to ask, and maybe some you didn’t expect!-- DM your questions & topic suggestions to us on Instagram @TheMovemementMentor or @DanceTeacherDiaries and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial. You can also contact us through our website here: www.TheMovementMentor.com/DanceTeacherDiaries (let us know if you want your questions to remain anonymous)!
In Episode 5 of The Dance Teacher Diaries: A Real-Talk Podcast for Dancers (and Everyone Else), your host, Sarah Jean Watts, continues were Episode 4 (Part 1) left off and digs into reacting to competition results, feelings connected to placing below what we expected, and how we can help dancers keep a healthy inner dialog when they come off stage. This is a tough one to tackle so listen with caution and remember, we always aim to be constructive but honest.
DM your questions & topic suggestions to us on Instagram @TheMovemementMentor or @DanceTeacherDiaries and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial. You can also contact us through our website here: www.TheMovementMentor.com/DanceTeacherDiaries (let us know if you want your questions to remain anonymous)!
In Episode 4 of The Dance Teacher Diaries: A Real-Talk Podcast for Dancers (and Everyone Else), your host, Sarah Jean Watts, digs into reacting to competition results, feelings connected to placing below what we expected, and how we can help dancers keep a healthy inner dialog when they come off stage. This is a tough one to tackle so listen with caution and remember, we always aim to be constructive but honest.
DM your questions & topic suggestions to us on Instagram @TheMovemementMentor or @DanceTeacherDiaries and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial. You can also contact us through our website here: www.TheMovementMentor.com/DanceTeacherDiaries (let us know if you want your questions to remain anonymous)!
In Episode 3 of The Dance Teacher Diaries: A Real-Talk Podcast for Dancers (and Everyone Else), your host, Sarah Jean Watts, talks about how to approach practicing at home in the middle of the competition season, and some of the more effective ways to use your time outside class and rehearsals. This one’s aimed at the dancers, but definitely something parents, teachers, and coaches will want to know!
DM your questions & topic suggestions to us on Instagram @TheMovemementMentor or @DanceTeacherDiaries and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial. You can also contact us through our website here: www.TheMovementMentor.com/DanceTeacherDiaries (let us know if you want your questions to remain anonymous)!
In Episode 2 of The Dance Teacher Diaries: A Real-Talk Podcast for Dancers (and Everyone Else), Sarah Jean Watts gives an introductory crash course in studio-dance competition scoring. This episode outlines what you need to know to understand the awards ceremony, and how the basic competition registration structure works. Stay tuned for future episodes dedicated to scholastic and all-star scoring.
DM your questions & topic suggestions to us on Instagram @TheMovemementMentor or @DanceTeacherDiaries and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial. You can also contact us through our website here: www.TheMovementMentor.com/DanceTeacherDiaries (let us know if you want your questions to remain anonymous)!
In Episode 1 of The Dance Teacher Diaries: A Real-Talk Podcast for Dancers (and Everyone Else), your host, Sarah Jean Watts introduces herself and outlines more of what’s in store for listeners throughout this podcast series. DM your questions & topic suggestions to us on Instagram @TheMovemementMentor or @DanceTeacherDiaries and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial. You can also contact us through our website here: www.TheMovementMentor.com/DanceTeacherDiaries (let us know if you want your questions to remain anonymous)!
Hi! I’m Sarah Jean Watts, I’m a dance educator, studio consultant and choreographer. For over 15 years, I’ve been immersing myself in this industry; learning how to effectively train dancers, teachers, and how to build next-level programs.
On Dance Teacher Diaries, I dissect key concepts and methods when it comes to dance training, help you navigate parent-teacher-studio relationships, and explore ways dance teachers and directors can become even stronger and happier in what they love to do. And I do it all without sugar coating the truth so you can get some straight talk about the progress, frustration, overwhelm, confusion, and life-enriching experience that is the current dance world. I’m not just here to cover the fluff and pretend it’s always sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes, it’s a pull your hair out, scream into your pillow kind of day! But we’ll also spend time appreciating some of the amazing parts of being on a team or in an intense, competitive program.
Dancers, parents, guardians, teachers, directors, enthusiasts, there are episodes for everyone and I encourage you to listen no matter who it’s directed toward so you can grow a well-rounded understanding of how this all fits together. The good, the bad, the ugly, the awesome - Join me on Dance Teacher Diaries to hear about your biggest frustrations, your most clueless moments, your “I wish I could just tell them…” rants, and my philosophy on how to thrive in dance.
Read more about my background on www.TheMovementMentor.com and make sure to follow me on Instagram @DanceTeacherDairies and @TheMovementMentor and on Facebook @TheMovementMentorOfficial for advice on training, behind the scenes, sneak peaks, and more!