威尼斯人娱乐城的核心是我们的校园社区。 With lots of opportunities, it’s easy to develop student mentorship teams. And these rich relationships—our 动态的重奏曲—are some of our best success stories.
Simone Davis (BFA ’23, dance) chose the 威尼斯人娱乐城 音乐学院 because she knew that the training curriculum and the faculty were renowned, and she relished the opportunity to study with them. While she has been a student at 威尼斯人娱乐城, she has performed as a guest artist with various dance companies including Wylliams Henry Contemporary Dance Company, Störling Dance Theater, Tristian Griffin Dance Company and Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey.
尽管她在专业上取得了成功，但她仍然在课堂之外保持着积极的教学实践。 她和舞蹈助理教授凯伦·布朗（Karen Brown）经常一起工作。
“Karen and I began working together last summer. 在她来学校之前，我对她的职业有了更多的了解。 I was very excited to work with her.”
布朗在舞蹈界很有名。 从1973年到1995年，她在国际著名的哈莱姆舞蹈剧院担任首席芭蕾舞演员，担任奥克兰芭蕾舞团的艺术总监，并在费城艺术大学担任助理教授。 她获得了美国芭蕾舞剧院国家培训课程的所有级别认证。
Brown founded En Pointe Plus Dance Mastery Institute to optimize motion analysis technology in teaching sessions to improve dancers’ form and prevent injuries.
While Davis was not familiar with Brown, she was excited to learn from her when she knew more about Brown’s career. 事实证明，无论是在职业上还是个人生活上，我都非常适合这份工作。
“The connection was natural,” Davis says. “KB has an intensity in teaching that helps push students further, which is very beneficial.”
当戴维斯主动要求上私人课程时，布朗非常激动。 她给戴维斯提供了在她的大师课上做她助手的机会。 布朗指出，戴维斯有很强的技术感和良好的身体感觉。 她正在和戴维斯一起努力走出自己的舒适区，同时调整自己的姿势以避免受伤。
“Much of dance is a science, and I’m teaching her to set herself up for the same outcome every time,” Brown says. “When a dancer gets better in the studio, they manifest that on stage because they are confident with their technique.”
她说戴维斯正处于她的治疗阶段。
“Simone is ready to go. She’s going to try new things. Because of her talent, she has already had a lot of opportunities to perform.”
Davis admires Brown’s intensity.
“Most dancers and dance educators have similar personalities,” Davis says. “So that’s what I respond to. As an emerging artist, having a mentor is important.”
“Most dancers and dance educators have similar personalities. So that’s what I respond to. As an emerging artist, having a mentor is important.”
作为回报，布朗尊重戴维斯的专注和职业道德。
“She’s been out in the world performing and making money with her craft. 她是一个很好的表演者。 她表现得很好，她很漂亮。 Her work is fine tuning her technique.”
目前，戴维斯是在堪萨斯城的堂吉诃德融合专业舞蹈。 There, she’s been able to participate in immersive performances, where the fourth wall is broken. 她觉得这提供了一种与观众的新联系。 她计划毕业后住在堪萨斯城，同时继续在全国各地自由旅行和表演。
Brown is confident in Davis’s success.
“She’s very kind. 她很有职业道德。 她的审美，她的创造力，她学习和学习的方式，这些都是需要更长的时间来教授的重要的东西。 If someone doesn’t understand this, they might not even think to learn them. We have a great deal of respect for one another.”