Hello! My name is Richard Sayama.I think sharing and teaching dance is an absolute privilege and joy. I identify more as a facilitator than a teacher because I prioritize creating a collaboration through dialogue versus establishing a hierarchy in student teacher relationship where I just give a lecture as students just listen and absorb. I strive to create a safe environment where students and participants can unapologetically take risks and feel empowered to indulge and dive into self-exploration. Despite the demographic, the age or the country, I always find myself learning as much from the students as they learn from me. And I always walk out of classes feeling very fulfilled and valued. I teach a plethora of genres that range from composition,  improvisation, hula,  ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz. And I'm always continually crafting and evolving my teaching and practices. Ultimately, I do think teaching and sharing dance is very, very important.  It's an act of carrying on a legacy that generations and generations of artists have passed down.  Me...sharing dance to participants gives them the capacity to then also share that information and knowledge to others as well. And so we are crafting an evolution of dance in real time. And I think that is really exciting to think, And it feels very powerful and great.