The spotlight casts a glow over Jocelyn Denné’s radiant smile as she sashays onto the stage. She’s buzzing with energy and beyond prepared for this performance. To her, being on stage is “an unreal experience.”
Denné has found another way to incorporate dance into her life. Through her new role as a teacher’s assistant for Del Val’s Introduction to Dance class, she gets to share her love of the art with her peers. In the four short months she’s had the position, Denné has found a plethora of reasons to love it.
“It’s amazing to see how the kids grow over time, and how when you say something, they are like, ‘Oh, I know that!’” Denné said. “Sometimes I see the kids in the hallway and they’re like, ‘Hi Jocelyn, how are you?’ It’s just like we have a student-teacher relationship.”
Becoming a TA seemed like a natural progression to both her and Del Val dance teacher Heather Fleischman since Denné had completed all of Del Val’s dance classes by the end of her junior year.
“I’m pretty sure she’s the one that proposed the idea,” Fleischman said. “I think it was her going, ‘Is this a possibility?’ Then I was like, ‘If it is, I want this to happen for you.’”
For Denné, this goes on her transcript as a pass-fail class. The role is considered similar to an independent study and is a new program Del Val is piloting. Denné receives credits as long as she carries out her responsibilities.
“I mostly do their warmups right now- just to get them moving around,” Denné said. “We have an end of the year performance and a few throughout the year, so I’m going to help choreograph for that. It’s so much fun.”
Having a TA has brought along many unexpected positives for the dance program as a whole.
“It [having a TA] helps me too,” Fleischman said. “It makes me a better teacher, and because she has a study hall the period after our class together, we always reflect on class. What went well? What didn’t go well? What can we do better for the next time?”
These types of collaborative reflections are new for the department. In the past, Fleischman has been Del Val’s only dance teacher. She loves that she now has someone to “talk dance with.” She also expressed that Denné couldn’t have been more prepared for the position.
“She’s definitely grown, but it was very expected,” Fleischman said. “It was nothing surprising. She was ready to do this.”
The confidence in the way Denné carries herself has set the stage for her positive teaching experience.
“It was reassuring to see how well her peers in the class took to respecting her because she’s only a year older than some kids,” Fleischman said. “It was really reassuring to see that there is a respect that Del Val students have for Jocelyn.”
Given the students’ warm welcoming of Denné, it is apparent that a successful future in dance instruction lies ahead.
“I hope that she continues teaching because students young and old–people closer to her own age–really take to her, really listen to her,” Fleischman said. “I think the people she ends up teaching in the future will really benefit.”
Denné does intend to pursue dance education in college and expressed her goal of potentially opening up her own studio. Her passion for dance extends beyond teaching as she also aspires to become a professional dancer.
“I want to audition for dance companies, like famous dance companies,” Denné said. “I want to probably go pro… Dancing with the Stars, like that type of pro.”
Much like most things she does, Denné is taking an active approach to her dreams. Her infatuation with the art has lasted over a decade, and it is evident to everyone that knows her. She works intensely, year-round, with the hope of becoming the best she can be.
“I practice in my bedroom, I practice in my living room, I practice anywhere I can,” she said. “You’ll find me in the driveway one day practicing. I just want to dance; that’s all I want to do.”
Denné brings a drive and dedication to everything she does. She has made a lasting impression on her students, and her excellence in the role has paved the wave for TAs of the future.
“I feel really lucky to have Jocelyn in my class and to work with her,” Fleischman said. “I tell her this often, but I even said to her that I don’t think I tell her often enough how much I appreciate her.”
