Christopher LaPlante
About
With over twenty-five years of dancing, and 15 years of professional experience, I have performed in works from The Nutcracker, to breaking, and many forms between. I have never had anything come naturally to me in dance except musicallity, and the passion and love of dance. In my journey I have recieved a lot of information that got me to where I am today, and I am still constantly learning, and seeking. This deepens my understanding on how I can communicate technical aspects that might be hard to mentally or physically grasp. I have taught extensively in Minnesota, including TU Dance Center, and The University of Minnesota, and through out the east coast, most notably at The Yard on Martha's Vineyard.
I love everything about dance, and to inspire someone to love dance, or moving their body around, at least a little, is so fulfilling. My favorite things about teaching are watching a student grow and discover connections. It is one of the most satisfying things I can experience. Another favorite thing of mine is how much I learn in the process as well, further deepening my own understanding of the craft the more I teach it.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
In the first session, we'll chat and see what your experience is, where you are in dance and where you want to go, and what you want to get out of our sessions. Then I'll throw some movement at you to see where you are, then we go from there. My aim is to accomplish, and exceed your goals, and have a super fun time along the way.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I grew up dancing the competition circuit, doing jazz, tap, and ballet at Larkin Dance Studio. I started teaching myself how to wave and pop in fifth grade. I honestly figured out waving by watching the tall, skinny guy at the end of the movie Footloose frame by frame and matched my body with his. By that point I had a good understanding of my body, so I figured out the overall mechanics quickly. And popping was from Micheal Jackson, and the dancers in his videos. The last few years at Larkin, a couple of the guys I danced with, and myself, would come up with our own hiphop choreography for ourselves.
After Larkin, I went to college at the University of Minnesota, and recieved my BFA. It was there where I was introduced to modern dance and learned techniques like Horton, Limon, and Alaxander technique. Some of my professors there include Toni Pierce-Sands, Joanie Smith, and Ananya Chatterjea. During that time as well, I was still poppin, waving, doing hip hop choreography, and had learned very basics of breaking along the way, but didn't make a full conection to the dance. An OG Minnesota bboy, Daylight, showed me a simple get down that set the light off in my head, and started to make connctions. The last four years I've been working with Rapheal Xavier, further deepening and strengthening my breaking.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I charge by the hour, plus the studio rental fee.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
No question is a dumb question, and there is no such thing as too many questions.