When did you decide to become a dancer and then later a choreographer?
Like many little girls, I started dancing around age three. My mother was a concert pianist but always wanted to be a dancer, thus I became a dancer. My early years were filled with ballet, jazz, tap, and baton. At age thirteen I was a state champion twirler and had performed for a San Francisco 49ers half-time. I also did children’s parts with Ballet West’s Nutcracker. I switched my focus primarily to ballet and trained with Jacqueline Colledge and became a charter member of the Utah Youth Ballet (predecessor to Utah Regional Ballet).
In college, I danced with Theatre Ballet at BYU and explored many opportunities to perform and choreograph. I was also teaching at several studios and tried my hand at choreography there. I was blessed to have success and received several national honors for my choreography including two National Critic’s Choice Awards from New York City Dance Alliance. Dance has always been a part of my life.
Of the experiences you have had choreographing, which one meant the most to you and why?
Many of my works are dear to me and I always enjoy the process of creating and the people involved. Some of the most outstanding times were when I worked with Odyssey Dance Theatre. Rain was a wonderful experience to create. I had hungry dancers, ready to try new things. The company was still very new. We had a combination of classically trained dancers, studio graduates, and college kids. The dancers were willing to try new things and had such great attitudes. I remember working with a couple who were amazing solo artists, but had never really partnered. It was fun to explore new lifts as well as the emotional interaction necessary to carry the choreography. It was a magical time in the studio.
Read the rest of the interview in the online magazine Mormon Artist.