K-12 Dance Education
Dance Education
Dance Education
Why dance education?
Lorraine Crittendon first began as an intern in an after school program at a Title I public charter school her senior year of college at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. After graduation, she was offered a full time position as a kindergarten Teaching Assistant. She was later promoted and remained in her role until 2019 serving also as a Step Team Coach.
LCritt began as a Secondary Dance Educator for another local Middle and High School Title I charter school in 2016 where she was awarded 'Teacher of the Year' 2016-2017. She remained in that position until the closing of the school in 2019.
At which time she joined the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public School system as a Secondary Dance Educator at a Title I middle school; where she remains until this day.
Lorraine Crittendon was the recipient of 'Teacher of the Year' in CMS for the 2024-2025 school year at her school. In addition, she was awarded 'Dance Educator of the Year' 2024 from Charlotte Ballet where she has been a Secondary Teaching Artist since 2018 teaching Latin Dance Diaspora.
Teaching Philosophy
A. Lorraine Crittendon teaches based on two pieces of imagery: bridges and tools. L.Critt believes that dance can be the bridge to our past, present, or future; and it holds many pathways of success.
L.Critt reminds her students that dance may not be for everyone, but it can be a bridge or a tool if you allow it to become one. Based on this philosophy, L.Critt focuses on teaching the NC state standards in a way that connects them to the world and the people within in. Dance is just the tool they will use to communicate with when words fail to suffice.
Future Plans
Lorraine Crittendon will graduate with her Master of Arts in Dance Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in May of 2024.
LCritt will also present for her first time at the North Carolina Dance Educator's Organization annual conference (NCDEO) speaking and leading on her original dance form 'Brazilian Blends'; an exploration of Fusion Dance forms.
She plans to tour her thesis on 'Samba No Pé and the Intersectionality of Blackness' to congresses, conventions, and meetings to speak on the importance of Black representation in Samba No Pé in the United States.
Later, LCritt plans to get her certificate in Africana Studies and fluency certificate in Spanish language.
