‘My calling in life’ discovered in dance
Kassandra Serafini took steps at Mount Hebron that led to a teaching career and honors as Maryland Dance Educator of the Year
An Ellicott City woman who honed her love of dance — and teaching — as a student at Mount Hebron High School has been named Maryland’s K-12 Dance Educator of the Year.
Kassandra Serafini, 27, who was named as the award-winner by the Maryland Dance Education Association, said that guidance and inspiration she received as a teenager formed the basis of her career.
“Being involved in dance and theater at Hebron, at 16 years old, I experienced the profound impact dance education has on our students in our schools,” Serafini said in an email. “It certainly impacted me.”
Serafini still helps choreograph musicals at Mount Hebron and Howard high schools, works with students at Howard County Summer Theatre and is a guest teacher at Dance Connections studio in Ellicott City.
But her main gig these days is in Anne Arundel County, where she teaches a dance liberal arts program and a performing and visual arts dance magnet program at Wiley H. Bates Middle School in Annapolis.
There, a message to students on her classroom door sums up the philosophy she works to convey: “You are the reason I am here.”
“I always say to my students that I am proud to be a teacher,” she said. “I’m more proud, however, to be adance teacher —and Iam the most proud to be their dance teacher.”
Serafini has been dancing since age 3, but said the seeds of her career were planted at Mount Hebron. She moved to Maryland as she was entering her freshman year and “quickly grew to love my new home.” Much of that love emerged through dance. At Mount Hebron, she performed with the school’s dance company and served as its dance captain for her junior and senior years. She also performed in school theater productions, she said.
“At Hebron, I learned that sharing my passion of dance allowed me to build relationships and form connections with others,” she said.
She credited her instructors — dance teacher Dina Reyes, choreographer Amanda Slatin and math teachers Tom Sankey and John Strebe — with motivating her at a young age. She said Mount Hebron gave her the opportunity to participate in an intern/mentor program where she could teach others.
“I realized I wanted to make teaching dance in the public schools my future and my career,” she said. “I found a new voice and purpose within myself, and knew I wanted to give others that opportunity.
“I realized this was my calling in life.”
Serafini was nominated for dance educator award by Judi Fey, treasurer of the Maryland Dance Education Association and a retired dance teacher who was working for Anne Arundel schools when Serafini was hired.
She said she’s seen many teachers during her 45 years in education, and Serafini struck her as a natural.
“The kids just respond to her,” Fey said.
“They always have, since day one. They are See TEACHER, page 4
Kassandra Serafini, 27, who was named as the award-winner by the Maryland Dance Education Association, said that guidance and inspiration she received as a teenager formed the basis of her career.
“Being involved in dance and theater at Hebron, at 16 years old, I experienced the profound impact dance education has on our students in our schools,” Serafini said in an email. “It certainly impacted me.”
Serafini still helps choreograph musicals at Mount Hebron and Howard high schools, works with students at Howard County Summer Theatre and is a guest teacher at Dance Connections studio in Ellicott City.
But her main gig these days is in Anne Arundel County, where she teaches a dance liberal arts program and a performing and visual arts dance magnet program at Wiley H. Bates Middle School in Annapolis.
There, a message to students on her classroom door sums up the philosophy she works to convey: “You are the reason I am here.”
“I always say to my students that I am proud to be a teacher,” she said. “I’m more proud, however, to be adance teacher —and Iam the most proud to be their dance teacher.”
Serafini has been dancing since age 3, but said the seeds of her career were planted at Mount Hebron. She moved to Maryland as she was entering her freshman year and “quickly grew to love my new home.” Much of that love emerged through dance. At Mount Hebron, she performed with the school’s dance company and served as its dance captain for her junior and senior years. She also performed in school theater productions, she said.
“At Hebron, I learned that sharing my passion of dance allowed me to build relationships and form connections with others,” she said.
She credited her instructors — dance teacher Dina Reyes, choreographer Amanda Slatin and math teachers Tom Sankey and John Strebe — with motivating her at a young age. She said Mount Hebron gave her the opportunity to participate in an intern/mentor program where she could teach others.
“I realized I wanted to make teaching dance in the public schools my future and my career,” she said. “I found a new voice and purpose within myself, and knew I wanted to give others that opportunity.
“I realized this was my calling in life.”
Serafini was nominated for dance educator award by Judi Fey, treasurer of the Maryland Dance Education Association and a retired dance teacher who was working for Anne Arundel schools when Serafini was hired.
She said she’s seen many teachers during her 45 years in education, and Serafini struck her as a natural.
“The kids just respond to her,” Fey said.
“They always have, since day one. They are See TEACHER, page 4
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