Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathy Follensbee.
Hi Kathy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I am the Dance Director of the Dr. Phillips High School Dance Magnet. I have been an educator with OCPS for 39 years, 37 of them with DPHS. I teach a Dance Arts curriculum at DP for dancers who audition for our program, and we have worked together collaboratively for four years. I received my Master of Fine Arts in 2014 and have been using my research to expand the dance curriculum for my students with guest artists and further dance experiences. I have a leadership program of officers who gain opportunities beyond the classroom, and I have a Teacher Assistant program that allows students opportunities to explore teaching pedagogy. We have two strands in our ‘Dance in Motion’ student company: Travel Company and Company 2. We also have the National Honor Society for Dance Arts club, where dancers share their love of the arts for community service and walk with honor cords at graduation. We explore and experiment with dance and say yes to all styles, including dance for film. All bodies should dance and have exposure to the Arts. I am a Past President of Florida Dance Masters (FDM) and current Education Chair, and I am the current President of the Florida Dance Education Organization (FDEO).
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Full belly laughter- no- it hasn’t been and isn’t an easy, smooth road. A major issue when I started teaching dance for OCPS was that I was the only dance educator in our county for 20 years. So there was much explaining to Admin, guidance, parents, and other teachers what dance education could offer and why it was so important. I had to look outside of our county for professional development, which is something close to my heart now- I want to ensure there are opportunities for all dance educators to find meaningful professional development and mentoring. This has led me to a lot of County mentoring and ensuring I can offer that at the state level through FDEO. Time is the biggest obstacle, as I wear many hats and have many events that I try to juggle for students to opportunities beyond the classroom.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a dance educator, I always try to find safe practices for my students. I want them to learn safely for each body and experience proper technique, choreographic opportunities, leadership, performance, and backstage knowledge. I share various ideas/concepts/guest artists to try and help each student find their unique gifts. I encourage healthy body practices and a knowledge of anatomy within the classroom, as well as healthy discussion in class and written reflections. I love to have fun, so I often use humor in my choreography.
What are your plans for the future?
We continue expanding mentoring for dance educators around the state through FDEO, and I am very interested in how we can gain dance certification for Florida.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dpdancemagnet.ocps.net/events.html
- Instagram: dpdancemagnet
Image Credits
All photos: Kiesha Stephens, Pink After Glow
