About the Artist:

Erika D. Gould Brown brings over 28 years of experience as an dancer/choreographer/educator. After earning both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Delaware, Erika returned to her home district to serve for almost 3 decades. First as a counselor and soon as a dance & fitness instructor. 

Erika’s artistic and teaching skills have been honed in and through the various environments she has worked during her career. Including; public high, middle and elementary school setting, traditional studio, summer camp settings, as well as, traveling artist. She has had the opportunity to work with students from 8 to adulthood. Her areas of expertise include ballet, modern, lyrical, jazz, hip hop, afro-fusion and tap.

Schools and Experience:

Erika has had the honor of working as the Brandywine school district’s (located in Wilmington, De.) only dance teacher for the past 20 years. This experience has shaped and  honed her choreographic talents.  She has choreographed and produced two concerts per year for all 20 years.  Her choreography is designed to please the audience while making her dancers feel competent and proud. She produces choreography that is entertaining and creative, yet accessible for  beginning movers/dancers while still enjoyable for those with experience.  

While with her current district, besides creating and coordinating the school’s dance program (D.E.E.P), Erika has also had the pleasure to have worked as head of fitness & dance for the Best Friends & Diamond Girl programs, hosted by MBNA bank. She was also able to revive and grow the dance program with the district’s Summer Fine Arts Program (2000-2006) during her time with the district.

Erika has a long standing relationship with  Christina Cultural Arts Center (Wilm., De.) where she  maintained her dance and teaching skills. While there she was a founding member of their Adult Dance Ensemble.  She worked several seasons as the dancing artist in their summer mobile arts program; Arts Van Go. She would also substitute teach as needed. 

Erika has recently been able to partner with the Delaware Theater Company. First, with “Just Dance:, an online dance program for children facing medical challenges. And then, with their “Summer On Stage” and “Stage 2” programs as their on site dance educator. Erika is excited to join the ranks of Creative Aging artists and offer the healthy, beautiful and fun art of dance to older adults embracing life to its fullest.

Pedagogical Philosophy

Foundationally, three things stand out that lay the groundwork for Erika’s approach to teaching. First, as a woman of faith, Erika believes that every student is precious and should be valued as such. She welcomes students of all walks of life, size, age and ability into the world of dance.  Secondly, as a trained school counselor (M.Ed.), Erika understands the complexity of people socially, emotionally and intellectually. She understands that the moods of her students and social dynamics of the class are important and  warrant her time and attention.  Finally, as a former middle school, high school and then professional cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles, she uses her natural sense of optimism, humor and lively energy to encourage and cheer on her student’s victories while supporting them through setbacks and challenges.

Since 2006, after traveling to Seattle, Washington to study under dance education pioneer Anne Green Gilbert, Erika has grounded her philosophy in Brain Compatible dance education. Designed to work with and optimize how the human brain works, Erika’s classes are deceptively easy to digest. But, filled with depth through solid design. Erika’s students learn and grow as dancers while having fun.

CREATIVE AGING WORKSHOP:

“Aged to Perfection and Ready to Dance! - A Dance Arts Workshop Series for Folks 55 and up”

Classes include “themes”or concepts that are discussed, referred to throughout and experimented with throughout the class. The first opportunity to work with the theme starts during the Brain Dance, a multi staged, neurologically supported warm up that warms up body and mind.  Gentle but effective the brain dance is a perfect segway into further technique and/or stretching. From the warm up activities, students move on to locomotor exercises that help all participants to dance while they travel. Final activities include a focus on choreography. The planned dance steps (choreography) and sequences are often teacher led. But, before they know it, through supported exploration and experimentation, the students will be creating their own dance masterpieces.

Whenever possible, the theme will be tied to something the library is focusing on at the time, such as “kindness” or “community”. With ample time given, custom themes can be easily designed or simply select from possible themes, such as:

Aged To Perfection

Dancing Through the Decades

Dreaming With Our Feet

Fertile Soil Grows Greatness

Legacy

Our Stories

The Best Is Yet To Come

What’s In A Name?

A final group piece is shared in the last class. Students will also be given the opportunity to share their own original choreography, if they desire. Recorded popular music is utilized. No previous experience is necessary. Specs:  Class is 1.5 hours plus .5 hour for set-up and break down:  16 hours of teaching and 16 hours for curriculum development, meetings and class prep.  2.0 hours for culminating performance night. Total:  $1830.00.  Materials Needed:  Bluetooth and/or aux compatible sound system (speaker with sufficient strength)  Mileage Reimbursement required for longer distances traveled: TBD.