Leyna Wimmer

Coach Interview: Leyna Wimmer of Francis Howell

I grew up dancing in Peoria, IL for 8 years and attended Lindenwood University after graduation to study dance and nutrition. I took time freshman year of college to travel with NRG Dance Project, working on the business side, and spent much…
personal growth

Coach: Your Simple Ingredients for Personal Growth

Are you focused on your personal growth, Coach? Sure, most of us focus on our team’s goals and what we want for the program. But what about YOU as a coach? Over the last few years I’ve talked about a lot of different ways you can invest…
meaning

How to Focus on the True Meaning of Your Dance Team In 2020

When was the last time you sat down and truly thought about why you do what you do as a dance coach? I know, we may jokingly question it all the time. During those late nights rhinestoning costumes, after a nasty parent email, or when you have…
Stress Relief

The #1 Way to Reduce Stress When You Don't Have Time

One of the top complaints I hear from coaches is that "I'm busy and stressed and don't have enough time to get it all done!" I think we all understand the importance of taking care of ourselves and focusing on stress relief if we need it. But…
new skill

Teaching a New Skill: How to Build a Dancer's Confidence

When dancers are learning a new skill, they are often overwhelmed, frustrated, and can experience a lot of self-doubts if they keep making mistakes. We understand as coaches that learning a new skill can take time, but our dancers often want…
UK dance team

Coach Interview: Dawn Walters

Dawn is the Head Coach of the University of Kentucky Dance Team, which is currently ranked 5th in the Nation in Game Day and 5th  in the Nation in Hip Hop at Universal Dance Association. In 2017, her team was chosen to represent…

Creating Genuine Team Unity with Dancers of All Abilities

Team bonding is such a big focus of the summer, but there are two important rules to team bonding. 1) You can’t force it and 2) You have to do it all year. One big challenge I hear from coaches who are trying to establish team unity is when…

The Fundamentals of Instilling Remarkable Mental Toughness in Your Dancers

How do I inspire mental toughness in my dancers? It’s one of the most common questions I get, and honestly, it’s something I think about a lot as a coach and a parent. I intentionally try to build mentally tough children (be it my own children,…

Coach Interview: Kim Hille

Kim Hille received her BA from Washington State University in Elementary Education and her MA from the University of Connecticut.  She is currently an 8th grade ELA teacher at Bush Middle School where she has also coached the middle school…