❖  Mindfulness on Broadway

❖  Conscious Movement

❖  Decolonizing Ballet

❖  Softening the Heart

❖  Humanizing the Body

❖  Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

for BIPOC

❖  4-week Mindfulness for trans and non-binary folks

“No one teaches another, nor is anyone self-taught. People teach each other…”

- Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 80

I am a dance educator with over 15 years of experience teaching ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, and musical theater in workshops, intensives, and at the college level. I began my dance training in Japan at the age of 18, but I had been dancing in the living room with a piece of ribbon taped to a wooden chopstick since I was 3 years old.

My training took me to Los Angeles, where I studied at the Edge Performing Arts Center. I then moved to New York City to attend Marymount Manhattan College, where I received a classical ballet and modern dance education. In between my studies, I worked professionally as a dancer in musicals, as a teacher, choreographer, model, and puppeteer. I even pursued pointe work in a male comedy ballet company.

I graduated from SUNY Empire State College with a B.A. in Dance and Theater. My independent study on teaching, learning, and education led me to study the works of Paulo Freire, Bell Hooks, and John Dewey. I was able to understand their theory from a Buddhist point of view, and I now explore combining my knowledge in dance with MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) programs to offer a holistic learning space.

I am passionate about dance and its ability to transform lives. I believe that dance can help people to connect with their bodies, their emotions, and their creativity. I am committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment where students can explore their own unique potential.

Artist Statement

I am interested in creating movement practices that embrace softness and sensitivity rather than hardness and force. I believe that dance can be a powerful tool for social change, and I want to use my artistry to challenge traditional notions of what it means to be a dancer.

I have over 15 years of experience in the performing arts, including Broadway shows and the Metropolitan Opera. I am also a certified mindfulness educator and have dedicated my time to creating programs for the next generation of performing artists. In my career, I have worked with a variety of artists and creatives to develop and produce innovative and engaging performances.

My artistry is heavily rooted in abundance through softness and sensitivity rather than through accumulation. This approach came from deep personal practice of mindfulness, Feldenkrais, Noguchi exercise, and dance training. It also has provided me with opportunities to explore the intersections of diversity, inclusion, and social justice.

I see diversity not as the opposite of monoculturalism, but as the inclusion of all perspectives without comparing but with discernment. I see inclusion not as the opposite of exclusion, but as true impartiality that holds even the exclusion. As an immigrant transgender woman of color, I have often faced challenges in sharing my unique approach to my artistry and pedagogy that explore the depth of individual and collective creativity. However, I believe that it is crucial to advocate for diversity and inclusion in our imperialist, white supremacist, capitalist, patriarchal, heteronormative, homophobic, and transphobic society. This is a continuous practice of non-harming and non-either-or.

I believe that dance can be a powerful tool for creating a more just and equitable world. By embracing softness and sensitivity, we can create spaces where everyone feels safe and welcome. By challenging traditional notions of what it means to be a dancer, we can expand our understanding of what is possible. And by advocating for diversity and inclusion, we can create a more just and equitable society for all.

I am committed to creating dance that is free from productivity and preconception. I believe that dance can be a powerful tool for healing, transformation, and liberation. I am excited to continue exploring the possibilities of dance and to share my artistry with the community.