Creative Dance Teacher Training in China
In December 2023, I was invited to China to launch a creative movement teacher training program for Kindergarten teachers in Chinese schools. In partnership with Wu Se Niao (Beijing) Cultural Development Organization, I designed and led multiple trainings in two provinces—Hainan and Beijing—and had the opportunity to work with approximately 150 Kindergarten teachers.
I returned to China in June 2024 and led two additional teacher trainings in different districts of Beijing.
In April 2025, I facilitated four online (Zoom) teacher trainings with five different districts from Beijing, working with approximately 130 Kindergarten teachers.
These introductory workshops were designed to introduce Chinese Kindergarten teachers—many of whom are new to dance education—to the foundational principles of creative movement pedagogy. The overall objective is to embed creative dance practices into the ongoing Kindergarten curriculum in China.
Read more about each workshop and listen to participant testimonials below!
Voices from the Workshop
Hear directly from educators in China as they share how the creative dance workshops transformed their approach to teaching, igniting joy, imagination, and connection in their classrooms.
December/January Workshop Theme: Dancing Ocean
The Dancing Ocean Teacher Training Workshop was a 3-day movement workshop designed for early childhood teachers interested in learning the fundamentals of integrating creative dance into their classrooms.
Participants were introduced to a creative movement framework centered around applied Laban Movement Analysis (LMA), emphasizing exploration and discovery, literacy integration, and dance-making, modeled on the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) approach.
This workshop introduced the Dancing Ocean curriculum, which brought ocean elements to life through movement. Teachers explored a range of dance activities inspired by ocean waves, sea creatures, and underwater environments. The workshop culminated in a large, community-based Ocean Dance, which included participation from children at a local kindergarten.
June 2024 Workshop Theme: Dancing Garden – Beijing
The Dancing Garden Teacher Training Workshop was also a 3-day movement workshop for early childhood teachers. Participants were introduced to the DEL-inspired creative movement framework grounded in applied LMA.
The workshop focused on the Dancing Garden curriculum, which explored themes of planting, growing, and the creatures who visit gardens, such as insects, birds, frogs, and butterflies. Teachers engaged in joyful movement experiences designed to inspire curriculum integration through play, dance, and storytelling.
April 2025 Online Training: Introduction to Creative Movement – Learning Through Play
This four-part Zoom training series engaged Kindergarten teachers from five different Beijing districts. The workshop focused on introducing the fundamentals of creative dance and incorporating movement-based activities into daily classroom practice.
In alignment with current early childhood education goals, this training emphasized play-based learning, offering teachers accessible tools to bring movement, imagination, and student agency into the Kindergarten curriculum.
