Riley Cooper
Miss Riley has been described as passionate, fun, and empathetic, challenging her students to pursue excellence and to be mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy while doing so. She directly applies her courses in Biomechanics, Exercise Psychology, Exercise Physiology, and Nutrition to how she approaches the dance space. Miss Riley has trained, taught, and performed across the United States in Atlanta, Colorado, California, Nashville, and more. She founded the Gwinnett Dance Project in 2019 with the purpose of seeing performing arts continue to flourish in Gwinnett County, which is considered one of the most diverse counties in the Southeast.
“My teaching philosophy, which extends into how I choreograph, is that teachers are to empower and equip students to embark on their own journeys of discovering who they are as individual artists. When students feel autonomy, competence, and relatedness in their environment, they are more motivated to achieve their goals. I’ve seen more efficacy in this individualized approach to learning as compared to environments where students feel they need to hide their true selves in order to “fit in”. I remind dancers that they dance for more than just whoever is standing at the front of the room, that they are humans before they are dancers, and what is going on internally will be reflected externally.”
Miss Riley graduated Georgia Gwinnett College with the class of 2021, was the Vice-President of the Student Dance Association, and is currently CPR/AED certified by the American Heart Association. She was thrilled to be invited to present at the 2020 C.R.E.A.T.E. symposium, and currently participates in undergraduate research.
Over the last two years, Miss Riley has subbed ballet and taught modern at the summer intensives. Sawnee School of the Arts is excited to officially welcome her to the team! Miss Riley will be teaching Modern on Thursday evenings this season.