What Ms. Popino does as a dance teacher

Ms. Popino is a dance teacher at IMS. This is her 5th year entering dance at IMS.

 

“This is my first job after I graduated from college at Rutgers so I joined IMS in the fall of 2022,” Popino said.

 

 Her occupation is that she teaches dance at IMS. Popino started dancing at a young age. 

  

 “I started dancing when I was 4 years old,” Popino said.

 

While Popino teaches various types of dance, she teaches creative fusions of dance at IMS.

 

“Most people take my class as their introduction to dance. We do a lot of creative tasks so it’s very free. We normally do a lot of jazz, contemporary and modern dance,” Popino said.

 

IMS is her first teaching position after earning her degree.

 

“I didn’t teach at a different school because this is my first job. I taught dance through my student teaching so I taught at APA Academy Performing Arts in Scotch Plains and Rahway high schools so those are where I did my student teaching,” Popino said.

 

Her opinion is that she likes a mix of jazz and modern dance in her classes.

 

 “I teach a mix between jazz and modern dance,” Popino said.  “I teach 6th, 7th and 8th grade and I teach periods 1,2,3,6.

 

In addition, she teaches the after school dance club. 

 

“We have a dance company for those who want to do after school dance and it’s Tuesdays after school for 6th grade,” Popino said.