About
About
My story starts as a young person growing up in the rural foothills of Northern California. I grew up with ample access to the outdoors, exposure to the arts (music, dance, theatre) and public education experiences that made a lasting impact. After graduating I decided to pursue my BA in Theatre and Dance, attending at Folsom Lake College and transferring to UC Davis. I graduated in 2015 from that program with Dean’s honors. I continued developing in the field of professional dance and theatre while also becoming a mother.
In 2018 my husband and I launched See The Elephant, a performing arts organization based in Placerville, California. See The Elephant has been a platform ever since for live performance, arts education, and community engagement. From co-founder to teaching/creating artist, to programs manager- I have worn several hats with See The Elephant, and I continue to grow as the company develops.
In 2023, I graduated from National University with my Masters in Education with a focus in social emotional learning (SEL) and Single Subject Teaching Credential. My Master’s thesis focused on the benefits of arts education for students’ social emotional development. My research continues to be in the convergence of the Arts, education, and well-being (physical, social, emotional). I work as a full-time Theater Arts teacher at a local middle school.
Education
Masters in Education - emphasis in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) & CA Single Subject Teaching Credential (English & Health Science) - National University, 2020-2023
BA in Dramatic Arts - emphasis in Dance - University of CA, Davis 2013-2015
artistic statement
My work as a dance maker is to hold space for this distinctive expression that each body contains and to craft it into dynamic, resonant performance.
As a rural-based dance artist, I recognize the importance of training and technique while also knowing deeply that dance should be an accessible art form to all people. In teaching, my approach is to help individuals tap into their own well of physical resource and to guide them through structured improvisations and physical exploration. Understanding, as Pina Bausch states, what moves us as dancers is equally as important as the physical movement itself; that our expression manifests from life itself. And that we are always in an active state of discovery and play as we dance.