Highlights
Cultivating older adult choreographers
In 2025, I developed a mentorship project to help older adults develop their skills as dance makers. Five older adults (aged 65+) were paired with five younger (under age 40) choreographers for a 6-month program in which the younger choreographers attended rehearsals, offered feedback on the new work being developed by the older adult, and provided guidance to help them shape their work. Out of this project came five original works (1 solo, 1 duet, and 3 group works) that were performed at four retirement communities in Central Ohio. The duet created was selected by adjudication panel to be presented at Cleveland Dance Festival in 2025.
Creating intergenerational opportunities
In 2024, Chloe Napoletano and I produced "Glad You're Here: An Evening of Intergenerational Dance" at the Columbus Performing Arts Center in Columbus, Ohio. The program, supported by the Greater Columbus Arts Council, featured three original works created by choreographers John Giffin, Crystal Michlelle Perkins, and me and Chloe, and performed by dancers ranging in age from 18-85. This project celebrated the dancing body across generations, and was was enthusiastically received by the nearly sold-out audiences. You can learn more about the intergenerational work I co-created for this project here.
Mentoring the next generation of community dance artists
Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to mentor emerging artists who were just beginning their careers in community dance, first with my company, Perennial Movement Group, and now in my role as Assistant Professor at Ohio University. At OU, I design coursework to introduce incoming MA in Community Dance students to the rich history and lineages of community-based dance across the globe. Through classroom based learning and community teaching opportunities, students cultivate skills and approaches to develop dance classes and community dance projects for a variety of populations. Learn more about OU's MA in Community Dance here.