Areas of Expertise
- Jazz dance, tap dance and musical theater, choreography, directing, research methods, pedagogy, administration
Education
- B.A. in dance with a secondary emphasis in music, University of Missouri, Kansas City: Conservatory of Music and Dance
- MFA in dance, University of California, Irvine
What's My Why?
I have familial roots in Kansas City, one of the epicenters of jazz dance and music. I grew up in this rich lineage and love passing on the knowledge, research, artistry and lived experiences I have to the next generation. The Salve dance program’s dedication to jazz dance education as well as its deep connection to Newport, Rhode Island’s world-renowned Newport Jazz Festival makes this possible. Community, compassion and creativity keep me connected to Salve.
Professional Experience
I spent my early career performing in television, film, musical theater and concert dance, and have been on "The Drew Carey Show," "The Nanny," "Dance With Me" and "Uptown Girls," to name a few. I have choreographed for Broadway legend André De Shields, Saturday Night Live veteran Ellen Cleghorn and television icon Carol Burnett, among others.
Some of my directing and choreography credits include "Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope," "Footloose," "Beehive" and "Hairspray."
My concert works have appeared with Jazz Antiqua, Movement Source, Bethune Theaterdanse, and Carlos Jones and Company. I am a contributing author to and co-editor of "Jazz Dance: A History of the Roots and Branches" and "Rooted Jazz Dance: Africanist Aesthetics and Equity in the Twenty-First Century." I have served on the faculty at Chapman University, Loyola Marymount, Buffalo State University and SUNY Brockport.