One day in 2011, my life changed and I didn’t even know it. Elizabeth Grover, who is a champion of the Parkinson’s community in Cincinnati, phoned Dance for PD® in Brooklyn with a plea to bring their programming to her area. I attended the ensuing introductory training in Indianapolis, met Elizabeth and two women who would become my co-teachers— Mary Kamp and Nancy Fountain— and suddenly I found myself at the intersection of dance and disability.

I knew a lot about Parkinson’s already, as my dad was diagnosed when I was 10 years old. I knew a lot about dance too, having grown up a very serious ballet dancer who also loved Fosse technique and rhythm tap. What I didn’t know, was how teaching dance to people with Parkinson’s would completely transform my views on what dance is and can be.

I believe dance is for every body, regardless of age, disability, or socio-economic status. We all want to move our bodies when we hear an infectious rhythm, we all want to feel we belong in our community, and we all can use a little more understanding and grace in our lives. My job is to find creative ways for people to access the freedom that a dance education provides.

As the current CB Moves Coordinator at the Cincinnati Ballet, I have the privilege of overseeing— and teaching within— a broad spectrum of adaptive and inclusive dance programs geared towards self-expression and community building. We have Parkinson’s classes 3 times a week, ongoing residencies at Senior Living facilities and Adult Day programs, workshops for those with dementia and their care partners, and Youth classes for dancers with any combination of physical, intellectual, and behavior disabilities. I am always learning from my students and enjoy finding new ways to approach material.

I am a frequent guest lecturer for Dance for Wellness classes taught at the University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University, as well as regional Parkinson’s-specific symposia like the Sunflower Symposium and Parkinson Support and Wellness’ Spring Forum. I am currently in the process of completing Dance for PD® certification to become an accredited teaching within that methodology.

In addition to my teaching and administrative work, I also perform regularly on regional stages and am commercially represented by Heyman Talent. I received the Legacy Next Generation Leadership Award for my work teaching dance to people with Parkinson’s disease in Cincinnati and couldn’t be happier to have helped transition our Dancing with Parkinson’s classes to Cincinnati Ballet ownership in 2021 so that it can outlive all of us who started it.