What do you love about dancing?
Dancing allows to me to express emotions, thoughts, moments in time, eras of history – the range of human experience – through visceral and physical movement which I find to be the most exciting and joyful mode of communicating.

How did you start dancing?
I was always the kid dancing at weddings, teaching myself cartwheels, and doing my sister’s JAZZERCISE video for fun. I took dance briefly at the age of 5 to be like one of my older sisters, but when her teenage life began to lure her away from her lessons, I was taken out as well. At 9, I fell in love with Fred Astaire musicals and with Fred Astaire himself (I was too cool for New Kids on the Block, ha!); so at 12, when a local studio sent out postcards to every house in town to drum up students for their new business, I was one of the first in line. And thus my formal dance life began…

When you’re not throwing pillows or hula hooping with CDDC, what are some of your hobbies?
I’m an avid reader and I love a good French dinner and wine. I love to watch old muscials. I’ve dallied in knitting but can only make scarves at this point. I used to play the violin (I broke the bridge of my violin when attempting to play a song from our dance “He Walks on the Wings of the Wind” and have yet to have it repaired – ha!). I love a good round of Pictionary or Guesstures and most things on the Wii.

Of the works you’ve performed with CDDC, which is your favorite?
Wow, I really don’t know which is my favorite – the full Mayne Mentshn is so fulfilling, Echad is so much fun, Cat’s Cradle is so moving, Cercle is so happy (video)… I think I’ll have a new favorite to add to the list soon – my duet with Louie which is currently a work in progress but I love the first section we’ve completed.

In your time with CDDC, what has challenged you and helped you grow?
In the culture of our company we strive for a quality of process where every voice is heard, where we take time to speak carefully, where one-persons-problem-is-everyone’s-problem and where you also present-solutions-when-you-point-out-a-problem. This can be time consuming but is so worth it! We’ve hit some bumps along the way, but each one just enforces the importance of our aim.
Achieving great personal and group dance moments on stage in culmination of a respectful process in the studio and backstage is completely fulfilling. Learning to work in a community where leaders can step down to follow and followers can step up to lead will stay with me always.