Welcome to the teaching philosophy of one of this year's Distinguished Teaching Award winners. "I think it's important in the lecture class that we do a lot of experiential learning," she says. "The best way for students to learn about the creative process of masters in a field is to experience it."

So her dance history students — many of whom are non-dancers — spend every Friday in the studio doing just that. Salk takes them through making a dance by a choreographer like Graham. With appropriate concessions to bodies not trained in dance, she gets them to feel Graham's technique firsthand. Only afterward does she show the video of the real Graham dancers.

"I've just found that the dialogue and discussion are much richer because the students have experienced the technique in their bodies," Salk says.

At the UW since 2002, Salk has brought a similar experiential approach to preparing dance teachers. In fact, she has "transformed the dance teaching methods course," according to Dance Chair Betsy Cooper. Whereas before her arrival, students practiced teaching by teaching each other, Salk forged partnerships with local dance schools and studios where they could go to teach.

"I came from a K-12 certification program (at the University of South Florida, where she previously taught) so I really saw the benefit of getting thrown to the wolves," she says. "You must go out and teach in the community. You can't stay safe and teach your peers. You won't grow from that."

Growth is something Salk is very interested in — for herself as well as her students. She says teaching is "like daily therapy. I need that constant exchange with the students." And in a way, the exchange continues outside of class. Former student Kesa Huey describes it this way.

"She might be microwaving her lunch in the faculty kitchen, step out the door toward the congregation of dancers waiting for class and say (fork in hand) to a student, ‘What if you tried a wider second position in all of your plies, with a little less external rotation?'"

Salk laughs when told of the comment. "When you're teaching, you're processing so many things at once," she says. "So a lot of times I have insights about dancers later, like when I'm walking my dog."

She also likes to make sure that dance students apply what they've learned elsewhere. All dance students are required to take anatomy, Salk says, but they frequently forget what they've learned when they get into dance technique classes. So Salk integrates the two. She'll choose a part of the body to concentrate on — say, the shoulder joint. Using a plastic, life size skeleton, she'll show the students how the joint works. They'll explore all its possible movements and feel it in action during partner exercises. Then, as they pursue their dancing over a period of time, they'll concentrate on how they use the shoulder joint.

It's a technique that's been attracting attention around the country, as Salk is hired to teach "experiential anatomy" to students and colleagues. She's planning to make a DVD on the subject to be distributed to dance educators.

Back on this campus, she earns raves among students and former students, many of whom wrote letters to support her award nomination.

"Her way of teaching makes people feel at home but at the same time they feel challenged and are moved to improve, to work hard and to always reach for new goals," writes Alice Gosti.

Josselyn Levinson writes that in Salk's class, "I knew I was always going to be pushed mentally and physically, but it would always feel good."

Salk returns the compliment, calling the students "smart and engaging." And she says the UW is the right place for her. "I'm just incredibly proud to work here."