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I have been a dancer for the majority of my life. Whether it was taking classes, performing, competing, teaching, choreographing, researching or producing; dance has always been an integral part of my education and my passion. Having always had a huge interest in helping people in a way that wouldn’t involve cutting them open (no offense to all of you amazing surgeons out there) coupled with a huge interest in somatics, I couldn’t imagine a better career for me other than Dance/Movement Therapy & Counseling. 

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Moving to the windy city from Michigan has been such a huge change for me—but the changes have all been so wonderful! After having only lived here for a month, I am already convinced that Chicago has more to offer than any other city I have lived in. It’s a beautiful thing to be a dancer in a place like Chicago where dance is so incredibly celebrated. Perhaps this is a direct effect from our mayor, Rahm Emanuel, being a dancer himself!

One of the first things I had the opportunity to do after getting settled into my condo was attend a Chicago SummerDance event.Chicago SummerDance is an annual event hosted at the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. It’s a wonderful collaboration of music and dance, perfect for all ages and skill levels, and available to the public June 27^th to September 15^th. Oh, and I haven’t mentioned the best part—it’s FREE! This was such a perfect way to start out my new chapter of dance here in Chicago, and it was also a fantastic way to meet a few of my new classmates before school even started.

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Which leads me to my next huge discovery upon moving to this awesome city and starting my program—THE PEOPLE.  After spending only two and a half weeks with this wonderful cohort of mine during our summer intensive, I can already call them my family. Graduate school can be intense and overwhelming, but it is so incredible to know that I have the support of my fellow classmates with me along the way. We have all come together at different points in our lives because we share a common passion: healing through the power of movement. Is there a better way for people to connect?? I knew from the get-go that I would share a bond with these lovely individuals, but I never knew the connection would form so quickly and be so strong. Not to mention the amazing staff, who is so dedicated to not only WHAT we are learning, but HOW we are learning it. They are all brilliant intellectual educators who care about each and every one of us, and we are truly blessed to have them as our guides throughout this journey. I am officially ready to start my MA in Dance Movement Therapy & Counseling in the fall knowing that I now consider this place my home away from home.