I am a Canadian dancer and philosophy PhD candidate born in Manitoba and currently based in Toronto, Ontario. Broadly, my philosophical writing and dance practice explore connection between and alienation from people and place, respectively. In philosophy, I am particularly interested in the borderlands of shared reality, focusing specifically on mental disorder and the legitimacy of blame. In dance, my current interest subverts the tradition of partnership in exploring the intuitive moulding or resistance of the body in response to changes in the natural environment. My dance practice is shaped by my extensive training, competition, and performance over the past two decades in diverse dance styles, including ballet, contemporary, modern, salsa, and bachata. This experience has led to tensions and contrasts in quality of movement, grounding, and relation to the external that I draw upon in my projects. 

Over the past few years, I have predominantly explored the shared ego of partnership through the styles of bachata and salsa. Before this, I was a solo dancer who connected to others only indirectly through tempo, form, and choreography. I was drawn to dance partnership for its profound ability to embody elements of reliance and resistance, power and vulnerability, trust and risk. In bachata, I was particularly struck by the unique form of communication that arises from physical contact with dance partners, especially in its most subtle form as gentle suggestion between leader and follower. This level of communication is imperceptible to the viewer but leads to intricate and seamless improvisation. 

Currently, I am developing a contemporary project that utilizes the give and take of partnership, but with the natural environment, rather than other humans.