Featured Teacher – Miss Mandy

Each month, we recognize and highlight one of our many incredible teachers. This month, we’ll meet Miss Mandy who teaches at Tippi Toes® Texas Hill Country.

Tell us a little about your dance history. Did you dance before? Did you teach before?

I have been dancing since I was young, maybe 4th or 5th grade. I studied tap, ballet, and jazz at the small studio in town until I was in high school. At that point, I switched to drill team (The Livingston High School Emerald Belles in Livingston, TX). I was a line member for two years and was Captain my junior and senior year. I attended Tyler Junior College, post-high school, where I studied dance alongside my Communications Studies. Upon graduating in 2013, I studied Performance and Choreography at Texas State University for three years. I graduated in 2016 Summa Cum Laude with my Bachelor’s degree in Dance – Performance, and Choreography.

I taught two to five-year-old ballet/tap combo classes for a few months at NB Dance and Co. in New Braunfels, TX. I also substituted many times at First Class Dance Center. I taught Ballet I, Jazz Combo, etc.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at Tippi Toes®?

I enjoy watching them sing the songs with me during class and speak the terminology with me. They really look forward to dance class, and you can see it shine through while they perform the different dances. When I see them giggling to the lyrics or making song requests my heart gets fuller and fuller.

Tell us about a favorite Tippi Toes® moment from class.

I was doing my first demo at a daycare in New Braunfels, TX with one of my fellow instructors, Addie. She was there to assist me and help keep the kids organized. I was teaching a Tippi Toes Combo class for three and four-year-olds and was expecting around 24 students. As soon as they all came out, there were about 50 kids in counting. I began teaching and with the help of Addie and the kid’s daycare teachers, we were able to keep 50 kids focused on dance. They had a blast! I was so energized by their joy during the class that after they had left, I was exhausted. After one class! But the fact that so many kids enjoyed dance in a short 45-minute class was a proud moment for the books. I could not have accomplished it so well without the help of so many super-great people!

What do you like to do for fun when not dancing with the sweet kiddos?

I enjoy reading. It is perhaps my favorite past time. I also enjoy playing old-school video games like Donkey Kong, Jak, and Daxter, Super Mario Brothers, etc. When the weather is nice, I like to go on walking trails with my boyfriend and our dog, Ricky.