About
Not only do I have a vast knowledge of repertoire, I have an immense amount of passion. I meet students where they are at and encourage lessons and practice to be an opportunity for curiosity and play within the different elements of a piece. As a triple threat I can help auditioners become versed in communicating through a combination and synthesis of physicality and vocal dynamics.
I LOVE what I do. I bring that joy and that love into every lesson. I believe in finding what gives my students their own personal sparks to be one of the most rewarding parts of this work. My goal as a teacher is to create a warm environment where they are comfortable enough to make artistic risks and bold choices in their work.
Reviews
Cheyenne L.
Keaton W.
Audrey C.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First I like to interview them to see what their goals are, defining their strengths and addressing areas they wish to improve. I like to get to know them personally, finding out their likes and dislikes, and getting a sense of their personality. This is vital to helping them select the best audition materials for their repertoire.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
As stated in my bio, I'm a member of Actors' Equity Association, the union for professional theatre actors. I hold a BFA in Musical Theatre from CSU Fullerton, a competitive program that only admits ~10 students/graduating class. I also have an MA in Leadership in the Arts and Entertainment Industries from New York Institute of Technology, giving myself a broad understanding of how each integral part of the industry works.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Typically I like to give my first lesson for free, and will negotiate my rate with the student. My starting rate is 50/45 minute lessons or 75 for 1.5 hour lessons, but I am more than willing to make exeptions for students with financial hardships.
How did you get started teaching?
I began teaching as an assistant for music and dance lessons with my old community theatre troupe in Santa Cruz, CA when I was 17. I then moved on to teach workshops and lead the creative and production team for over 10 full scale youth theatre productions. While in my undergrad I also was a TA for Intermediate Acting courses for Sophomores, focusing on a blend of Uta Hagen and Michael Checkhov Techniques, as well as TA'ing for foundations of Musical Theatre, where I discovered my true passion for recommending audition material. Multiple of my students I worked with personally ended up making the cut into the BFA program, and use the materials I'd recommended to them for their professional auditions to this day. I've also taught Dance in Jazz, Tap and Musical Theatre styles with Palo Alto Children's Theatre, and choreographed an adult production of Spring Awakening, as well as my self produced Cabaret, "The World is my Shower", which can be viewed on my website: www.jordansidfield.com.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with students of all ages, 4+, with varying skill levels from beginners to advanced.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
One of my previous students who I taught in Musical Theatre Foundations at CSU Fullerton, Devon Hadsell (CSU Fullerton BFA class of 2014) recently made her Broadway debut in Mean Girls: The Musical! It made me incredibly proud to see one of my old students succeed and was ecstatic to watch her perform on the Tony Awards!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Ask around, word of mouth is the best way to go most of the time. Find a teacher who cares about your success and wants to bring out your best qualities, and doesn't ask you to change what's great about you.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What do I feel the best about myself? What are my less strong areas and are they manageable? What am I willing to do to improve?
Do I have a specific class, audition, or performance coming up that I wanted to work on? Have I performed this piece before, or is this brand new to me? How much have a practiced this already?