artist statement

I believe that dance is parallel to life, the work we do in the studio directly reflects the work we do within ourselves and our communities, cultural influences are prevalent in every story, we never dance alone, and movement has the power.

My mission as an artist, choreographer, and educator is to empower my dancers, collaborators, and students through accessibility, collaboration, and dynamic movement that equally challenges the mind along with the body. My work consists of various materials such as live musicians, landscape, film, poetry, language, and varying movement styles. My philosophy revolves around supporting movers with movement that stems from varying genres such as contemporary, hip-hop, modern, release, floor work, and contact improvisation that stimulate the mind and tap into emotional heart strings.

Creating through collaborative efforts with other dance artists is an integral part of the process while making space for them to explore their own artistry through investigative pathways, and expand their awareness as dancers in the community. I value diversity and inclusion and bring dance to communities where it may be difficult to afford, by offering free and donation based classes and workshops.

Creating scholarships and spaces for bipoc dancers is another way I support my students. I create a safe space by practicing opening and closing rituals for my class which may include a sharing or short story telling of something personal, connected to that day’s class, or about the individual. The process of verbal sharing before and after class, deepens the relationships and fosters depth between the exchange of energies between all students present in each class. I believe that we never dance alone, and that movement has the power to heal any grief or heaviness in the heart.

Contact improvisation and partner work is integral to my practice and classes as it foster this continuous exchange of energy, trust, surrender, and risk. Taking the risk to trust someone else, surrendering and allowing yourself to live in the moment, and believe that you can hold space for someone, just as equally as they can for you too. My classes emphasize trust building, risk taking, and exploration of possibilities by working through partnering via phrase work, across the floor, and combinations. Improvisation is also a big part of my practice as it encourages you to explore uncharted and uncontrolled territories while simultaneously believing and discovering all possibilities.

Even when we are alone, we dance with space, time, energy, and our focus. My class asks the question how can you dance together with others? How can you dance beyond yourself when you are alone? What pathways, practices, and processes assist us in finding ways to find deeper exchanges within and outside of movement and storytelling?

Combining eastern and western musical and movement influences, I create an environment that brings together movers from all walks of life. I believe that dance has the power to change how communities and people come together, and simultaneously encourage the individual to continue to dig deeper within so one can pour into others more often. In the end, the sense of sharing space and time is what feels the most transformative in my classes.