Your studio is Austin’s only high-level, non-competitive program. Why did you decide to go against the grain of ambitious dance moms cliché?
I took my 20 years of teaching experience and basically created the program I would enroll my own daughter in! The competitive dance world can be a good fit for some students but for others, the time commitment, the fear of making mistakes, the push to "perfection", and the cost and confusion of competitive events can lead to frustration and burnout. I see that dancers gain the most in class when they are excited to be there.
Do you prefer performing or teaching?
Before moving to Austin I lived in Anaheim, California where I performed dancing, singing, and character roles in parades and stage shows at The Disneyland Resort, which was a dream come true. I love being in a show… but I decided I wanted to have a dance studio when I was about six years old, so being able to combine all this at Open Air Dance Collective is incredible. We don’t compete, we perform – at the opening night of the The Trail of Lights and for the San Antonio Spurs vs LA Lakers game at the AT&T Center. Coming up this spring, our Professional Artist in Residence, Ryan Miller, and I are working on a dance adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. All black and white costumes and sets as a nod to the start of the classic film, then going full-color spectacle on stage when we meet dancing versions of all the beloved characters.
How do you want the dancers who enroll with you to feel when they join your program?
I believe that dance is an art, a sport, and that it offers connection. We all need a chance to stretch, a time to grow, a moment of Zen… OADC offers that.
Why should we all be dancing more?
Dancing is a basic element of human nature. We are wired to move. We are drawn to a beat. It's a way to connect, to let go, to heal, to release emotion and to get to know yourself in your own body.
For more information, go to openairdancecollective.com