My education as a Registered Nurse has given me a greater understanding of the anatomy and functions of the human body. I have since brought this knowledge into my artistic practice. I place a high level of focus on the use of proprioception, a mindful connection between the brain, body and the space that is being used. I focus on learning the parts of the body that I am working with to enhance the movement being created. The correct use of a healthy spine is an integral part of my choreography. The spine is a “center” of the creation of new movement, much like the spine is central to the body in a physical, neurological and psychosomatic way. My approach to my training is to build strength, and technical proficiency while keeping the body safe and healthy. Mindfulness and meditation are useful tools that I use in my practice to safely train proprioception. These tools are also very useful in keeping the mind healthy and clear by maintaining the focus on the physical body in current space and time. When the body is healthy and strong movement that otherwise would be hindered by the lack of strength, fatigue, and stress of day to day life.

Dance is my main tool of expression and communication. I feel the most comfortable expressing myself through my dancing. The emotions, conceptions and ideas I can express through my movement are stronger than any words I could ever say or write. Being vulnerable and open are critical to my practice. Vulnerability is scary but rewarding. By allowing myself to be vulnerable with my fellow dancers and audience members I am able to effectively share myself with others and allow a common experience to take place.

One of my greater purpose for my dancing, is to create a professional level foundation that fosters the growth of professional dance in Saskatchewan. The first step in building this community is to ensure that I am contributing to the advancement of professional dance in Saskatchewan. This includes providing professional level training and cross training, giving professional dancers an outlet to stay in Saskatchewan to continue to dance, so that the people of Saskatchewan can enjoy the beauty and experience what professional dance is here right at home. In building a vibrant dance community in Saskatoon, it will provide all those within it a greater ability to collaborate and learn from each other. Furthermore, I want to create opportunities for professional development and growth for professional dancers here in Saskatchewan, including myself. I continuously strive to achieve a higher standard for myself and my art form through continued education (most recently attending and performing at The Joint Dance Congress in Adelaide, Australia in July 2018), training, collaboration and creation.

The other greater purpose and meaning to my art is to create meaningful work that contributes to positive change in the world. I am committed to creating work that connects with audiences. I strive to create pieces that evoke an emotional or cognitive response in the audience member. I understand the positive social outcomes that dance can achieve such as eliciting empathy for others, addressing complex social issues and make political statements and provide social commentary in a relate able and connectable way. I believe that dance can and will make the world a better place.

Through my journey as a dancer and now a director and choreographer, I have gained a great deal of confidence and knowledge about how I approach dance. I have become solid in my ideas and techniques that I employ to develop movement and choreography and the concepts behind them. My goal is to continue to grow as an artist, connect and collaborate  with other professionals from Saskatchewan, while providing Saskatchewan’s professional dance community the opportunity to train and learn at a high practice standard.