BALLET & CONTEMPORARY DANCE

I began my formal training in ballet and contemporary dance at the age of four at Parker Dance Academy, studying under the direction of Kim Kinnear, Julie Curley, Beverly Pinkerton, and Nicolle Ament. After high school, I went on to earn a BFA in Performance from Chicago College of Performing Arts and received a scholarship to continue my studies with Hubbard Street.

During this time, I developed a deep love for improvisation and performance art, which led me toward an interdisciplinary career focused on choreographing exploratory, community-oriented work. Early in my career as a performer and choreographer, I had the honor of collaborating with a range of innovative performance artists, including Ted Hoerl, Kestutis Nakas, June Compton, Bob Davidson, and Jennifer McCray Rincon.

Alongside performance, I have been working as a dance educator since 2004 and have trained extensively across diverse pedagogical lineages — from classical ballet methods such as Vaganova and the School of American Ballet to contemplative and Indigenous dance practices. I am currently on faculty at Vail Valley Academy of Dance in Edwards, Colorado, and I co-direct the Vail Youth Ballet Company. 

SOMATICS & TRAUMA HEALING

Somatic movement is a field of research developed by dancers and therapists, and my work contributes to the web of inquiry taking place at the intersection of psychology and movement. I believe it’s important to acknowledge that much of what we understand the contemporary field of somatics to be - this includes Western psychology - is rooted in indigenous wisdom and dance traditions. My approach to somatics reflects my studies in both classical dance as well as Eastern embodiment traditions. In recent years, I have begun to focus my work on healing from stress and trauma through dance practice. In 2023 I earned an MFA in Interdisciplinary Art & Regenerative Culture from University of New Mexico where I committed my thesis research towards this complex intersection.

JAPANESE DANCE

My interest in the embodiment arts of Japan, China, and India began in my early professional career as a dancer where I was recruited by scholar and researcher June Compton to study & perform in the Japanese Dance mediums of Noh, Kabuki, & Kyogen. Later in my life I continued this inquiry by pursuing personal studies in the art of Butoh as well as Yoga & Buddhism.

ZEN & DAOIST DAOYIN

I began my meditative journey as a student of Engaged Buddhism (Mahayana based Zen) with The Order of Interbeing and Plum Village as pioneered by Thich Nhat Hanh. My Dharma name is Pure Aspiration of the Heart and my mentor is Gurupriya Beth Sanchez. The monastics at Plum Village have not only deeply influenced my spiritual life, but also my artistic practice. 

AYURVEDA & VEDANTA

I trained in Ayurveda with my primary mentor Gurupriya Beth Sanchez as well as Dr. David Frawley through the American Institute of Vedic Studies. My focus as an Ayurvedic practitioner is on the trauma informed diet emphasizing kitchen medicine. Grounded in the principles of interconnection between Self and environment, Ayurveda seeks to sustain health through balance rather than treat illness in isolation. Ayurveda views well-being as a continual process of alignment with natural rhythms — an ecological approach to the changing conditions of both the inner and outer worlds.

TANTRA VINYASA & YOGA NIDRA

I have been practicing and teaching Tantra Vinyasa and Yoga Nidra under the mentorship of Jeremy Wolf since 2013. Vinyasa is a dynamic practice of asana and pranayama that weaves breath and movement into a continuous, dance-like flow. Rooted in the philosophical depth of Tantra, it invites a holistic experience that unites body, mind, and spirit. Jeremy’s teachings have also profoundly shaped my meditation practice through Yoga Nidra, awakening a deeper curiosity about my own ancestral lineages of dreamwork and journeying.

AERIAL SLING, PROPS & SCULPTURE

I utilize an aerial sling, also known as a hammock or silk, as a prop in my Yoga practice. The sling can assist the beginner in learning Yogic techniques and the advanced practitioner in cultivating expanded embodiment. I have been teaching this medium since 2017 and have since developed a more experimental and exploratory approach to the work that I call Cloud Lab; emphasizing play and creative exploration in community. My approach to the Aerial Sling is heavily influenced by the use of straps in Iyengar Yoga and I am interested in the relationship between found objects, sculpture, and materiality in Yoga asana practice.

With endless love and gratitude…