ABOUT

(Photo by Galen Higgins)

I’m a Twin Cities (Minnesota)-based dance artist making opportunities for people to experience the reflective and connective power of groove through performance and education. My pronouns are she/ her and I dance on the traditional lands of traditional lands of the Dakota and Ojibwe people. Having grown up dancing socially at my dad’s rock band’s gigs in the Midwestern region of the United States, I discovered young the exhilaration of playfully experiencing groove alongside others. Guided by this inspiration and a fondness for jazz and American social dance ideas, I’ve worked with creatives as varied as hip-hop dance theater artists Rennie Harris and the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers Appalachian clogging company. As forms with African diasporic roots and branches are central to it, I also see anti-racism and intersectional justice efforts as integral to my work. I welcome you to visit my Anti-Racism page to read more.

Artist Statement | Curriculum Vitae | Quotes & Press

In performance, I make and perform new staged works and present those of others through my company Rhythmically Speaking, and perform freelance and as self-created character “Nerdette” for St. Paul Saints Baseball’s Entertainment Team. I also create new works for high schools, colleges and professional dance companies. My creative works emphasize groove, interaction and improvisation, and are inspired by both social and concert dance movement – particularly American modern styles and forms with African diasporic roots – while often driven by contemporary jazz music.

In education, I work as a Teaching Artist for the The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts and serve as a member of their Advisory Council, and am faculty at several area arts high schools and universities. I also conduct educational outreach through my company and am an active writer and conference presenter.

(Photo by Isabel Fajardo)

Besides dance, I am a lover of majestic clouds, excellent and crappy coffee alike, jazz music, funky yellow, red and maroon clothes, wandering walks, improvisational cooking, small cute things (of both the living and plush varieties), and people (I am a social animal, and that is reflected in the art I gravitate to and make!). I especially love my little kiddo Niko, my partner Kris and my family and closest friends. I’m driven – in general, and in my capacity as a dancer – to connect with people and help them connect to themselves, one another and the moment through rooted and innovative embodiment of groove.

(Photo by Pat Berrett)

Artist Statement | Curriculum Vitae | Quotes & Press