Myth & Motion
Ballet that is made for children with children
The Stories We Dance
Each year, we gather to reimagine a beloved tale or create something entirely new, crafting a ballet performance designed especially for children, with children. These works aren’t just adaptations; they are living stories, shaped by the young dancers who bring them to life. Our performances are shared with the local community to celebrate movement, myth, and collective imagination.
In December, our annual Holiday Gala marks the culmination of this creative journey. It’s a joyful, heartfelt event that honors the devotion of our dancers and families while also raising funds for the Artistic Dance Conservatory. Through scholarships and ongoing support, we work to ensure that the transformative power of dance is accessible to all, especially those who may not otherwise have the opportunity.
This is more than a children’s ballet. It is a way I get to weave wonder back into the world, one step at a time.
“Some ballets I write from scratch. Others I adapt. But either way, I always start from the inside—from a feeling, an image, or a question that won’t let go. I listen to the music, I watch the children, I feel into the season. The story starts to take shape from there. It’s not about getting steps right—it’s about giving form to something true. I’m not just teaching choreography. I’m helping them remember who they are, through movement and myth.”
Original and Adapted Children’s Ballets
As part of my commitment to presence-based, child-centered arts education, I develop and direct annual ballet productions that are either original creations or thoughtful adaptations of beloved stories. Each production is designed with developmental sensitivity, artistic integrity, and imaginative immersion, centered on the belief that children are not simply dancers learning steps, but symbolic beings capable of embodying deep stories through movement.
Whether drawing from classical narratives or creating something entirely new, I approach each ballet as a living myth. The process begins with an inquiry—emotional, seasonal, or musical—and unfolds in collaboration with the children, the music, and the moment. These works are not merely performances but participatory rites that allow children to experience archetype, community, and creativity in embodied form.
My adapted and original ballets include:
The Magical Divide – An original ballet inspired by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, exploring balance, transformation, and the cyclical rhythm of nature through story and movement.
Inside Out – A symbolic movement journey based on the animated film, reinterpreted to help children explore and express complex emotional states.
Symphony of the Elements – A choreographed meditation on earth, water, fire, and air, with each element embodied through distinct musical and kinetic languages.
Trolls – A vibrant adaptation emphasizing joy, individuality, and relational repair through colorful ensemble work and musical play.
The Little Mermaid – A reimagined classic focused on voice, longing, and the deeper themes of personal sacrifice and becoming.
These ballets culminate in community performances and our annual Holiday Gala, which serves both as an artistic celebration and a fundraising event for scholarships. Through this work, I strive to ensure that the transformative power of dance remains accessible to all children, regardless of financial circumstance, and that each performance becomes a developmental and communal milestone.
Holyoke Threads
A Quiet Revolution Against Disconnection
Holyoke Threads was born from a question that wouldn't let me go:
What does it mean to resist—quietly, daily, locally?
In an age of increasing consolidation, surveillance, and systemic dehumanization, I didn’t want my only choices to be digital convenience or corporate allegiance. I wanted a third path—something rooted, relational, and real. Holyoke Threads is my answer. My offering. My revolt.
It’s a living project designed to reconnect neighbors, uplift local makers and services, and gently reweave the fraying fabric of community here in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It’s about shopping in person when possible—circulating resources with intention and reclaiming the village mindset—one thread at a time.
This isn’t nostalgia. It’s a strategy.
A form of resistance to a fascist system that thrives on disconnection, distraction, and dependency.
I’m not here to eliminate the internet. I’m here to recalibrate how I use it. As a tool, not a tether. A means of amplifying what already exists on the ground, not replacing it.
Holyoke Threads is part map, part movement. A way of finding each other again. Remembering that revolution can take the form of a farmer’s market, a lending library, a dance class, or a locally made sweater.
If you’re nearby, this is your invitation.
Because you and I are not just participants in the world—we are its pattern-makers.
We create the myths we live today.
So let’s make them beautiful, local, and alive.
Introducing the Enchanting Children’s Story Book
The Magical Divide
A Ballet-Inspired Journey Through Vivaldi's Four Seasons
A Children’s Picture Book Based on the Original Ballet
Behind each blade of grass, ray of sunshine, and chirping bird lies a hidden world of magic. Maya sees this magic where others do not.
The Magical Divide is a tale of self-discovery, friendship, and the power of nature. It reminds us to slow down, appreciate the magic in our everyday lives, and take care of the world we live in. Through Maya’s journey, readers are inspired to find their own connection to nature, fostering a sense of awe and gratitude for the wonders surrounding us.
Want to take class with me?
All in person classes are held at Artistic Dance Conservatory in East Longmeadow, MA.
Looking for a gift that is locally made and meaningful?
Check out my jewelry line, online or in person at The Charm Bar in Flora! Holyoke, MA.
