Teaching and Writing Workshops

In workshops, Jan creates a magical environment where we create, move, then reflect on broader meanings and what these could mean for the rest of our lives. She has a rare ability to combine the experiential with the conceptual, taking each of us where we are and opening us to bigger possibilities. Her teaching, writing and facilitation expand and enrich, uplift, and inspire…she is a true master, in a category of her own.”

Liora Bresler, Professor Emerita, Ph.D. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, College of Education, Curriculum and Instruction, School of Art & Design, School of Music

Jan works with a clear goal in mind, but her methods are somewhat circuitous, using tactile exercises, physical explorations, and creative writing prompts. In allowing her to lead me “the long way” — which was, ironically, much more efficient — I arrived at written statements that evolved into a much more authentic provocation of why I do what I do and how those decisions and value systems relate to my lineage as a person, dancer, and teacher.

Kayt MacMaster, MFA 2022, University of Illinois, faculty at Alma College, Michigan