PHOTO'S & VIDEO | abbeyford

My leadership compilation video...sound on!

Summer Camp!

This image was taken during a summer camp that another teacher and I ran for a week. This camp was Paw Patrol themed and the dancers had a blast! We played games, did crafts, ate lots of snacks, and of course danced a lot. The dancers also received a special visit from Chase (Paw Patrol character)!

BIG Hugs!

Big hugs after class! I always ensure to listen to my students needs, and this particular day we all needed a little extra love.

Class Starts!

This was taken during
the begining of class while I was taking attendance. During this part of class I always like to ask my dancers a question to answer when I call their name so I am able to learn more about them.

Primary classes

All of these images are taken of my Pre-Primary Ballet/Jazz Classes.The average age in this class is 3-4 year olds and they always keep me on my toes, which is why they are my favourite classes to teach. This picture best represents my leadership style since it highlights the class that is the most unpredictable. Being a statistical 5/5 leader allows me to react differently depending on the situation, which is very advantageous within this context. For example, yesterday 3 students in this class were crying because they missed their mom, one child slipped and fell, and one student had an accident on the floor, all in half an hour. I of course had to ditch my original lesson plan and tend to these situations while also managing the other 10 students in this class. Being given the opportunity to teach such young dancers has allowed me to heal my younger self within a dance context. Growing up, I have experienced a lot of negative dance teachers that have drained my passion for dance, which is another place where my mission statement stems from. I consistently strive to teach like the teacher I wish that I had growing up.

Competition Group

This picture was taken after the final awards of this past competition season. As you can see in the center, our students brought home a lot of trophies and confidence. They won every division at this competition, and I cried a happy tear!

Ab & I

This student is very special to me, and I am so proud of her growth this year! I have been coaching her since I was 16 and we have developed a very strong relationship. This image is very sentimental because it was the very first time that she told me she was proud of herself.

Pointe Group

This image is very special to me since it was the very first senior competitive dance that I choreographed without assistance. It was also this groups first time competing a pointe dance and I was beyond proudof them. They received second place at this competition, and it was such a breakthrough moment for their confidence!

Comp

All of these images were taken during my dancers past competition season. I was so proud of all of my students for their successes and it was such a fulfilling experience as a dance teacher. During competition, I am required to complete a lot of tasks such as warm up students, check them in, support my dancers backstage, playing their music, and keeping schedule, all while managing the dancers in an orderly fashion. These images represent my adaptive leadership style by representing all of the different situations that I face throughout these busy weekends. My statistical 5/5 leadership style becomes the most evident when attending to different dancers with different needs. For example, some of my students are easily stressed and require more personal support to succeed, whereas other students are more independent and don’t require as much guidance. Some students need to be with me right up until the moment they walk on stage, and some need to be by themselves with their headphones. Not only does my leadership style help to recognize these child’s preferences, but it also helps me to accept a wide range of “pre-performance” behaviours.

Special Day!

This is one of my students getting her first pair of pointe shoes. This is a very special moment in a dancers life, and as their teacher I always make sure that I am able to be a part of it and make them feel special.

Ballet Exams!

Here are some of my students moments before entering their first ballet exam. They were very nervous but I was so happy with their performance!

Mothers Day!

In this picture my students are writing cards to their moms for Mother’s Day. I always teach my students to be appreciative of everything that their parents to for them regarding dance. Being a dance mom is hard work!

Here are some more pictures that gives insight into my life as a dance teacher and leader.

Abbey Ford

Leadership Portfolio