Academic Career Overview
My academic career spanned 25 years. As the Founding Chair of Dance for Gonzaga University from 2000-2025, I developed and managed the program, taught dance and had the opportunity to choreograph many works every year. I created the Dance Major and Minor programs at both Gonzaga and Whitworth Universities and am grateful for the communities that developed at both.
My Dance Philosophy:
The art form of dance is a metaphor for life. Dancers have to overcome adversity, be present in the moment, deeply feel emotions, and communicate. This communication occurs through the physicality of bodily movement. Bodies in motion are the expression of spirit and it is my hope that audiences gather meaning from the motion and positions that I sculpt with my dancers and that they relate to the feelings expressed physically.
Honors
President's Award of Distinction
Gonzaga University Commencement, May 2025
Woman of the Year recipient
The Spokesman-Review's annual award in 2021 for contributions to the Inland Northwest community as the founder and director of Gonzaga University's academic dance program.
Honored with Tenure
Gonzaga University, 2021
Sample of Work
While I produced a lot of work during my 25 years at Gonzaga, below is a sample of some favorite projects.
Thumbelina January 2026
I created this original adaptation in the year following my retirement. I directed, choreographed, adapted the story, painted the projections and designed the costumes. Indeed, it was a passion project that was the perfect bridge from my work at Gonzaga to my full retirement.
Jazzin 2023
This narrated and performed dance work explored the history of Jazz dance and how its roots in Africa, ragtime, swing, and eventually to dance studios to today performed in Spokane and then in Florence Italy culminating at the Florence Dance Festival.
Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, Gonzaga University - Grand Opening Concert, 2019
I had the privilege of Directing and Choreographing the grand opening concert for the new performing arts center. My goal was to engage as many students and colleagues in the performance as possible. So we had three dance companies with more than 40 students, an acting troupe of a dozen students, a 60 piece choir of students and an orchestra made up of students, faculty, and community members. This epic production was called A New Season, to ring in our new season for the arts at Gonzaga University.
Textbook - Interdisciplinary Arts, 2021
I co authored this textbook on the integration of theatre, dance, and visual arts concepts to develop creativity and innovative thinking for everyone.
Beautiful Weapons, 2018
This touring performance communicated the scientific research by Professor Brook Swanson on Biodiversity using the language of dance. We toured this performance to regional university stem and performing arts audiences and also presented it as TEDX.
Advised Projects:
Loie Fuller - During the 2016-2017 school year, I advised a student in a research project on legendary performer Loie Fuller, which culminated in a restaging of one of her piece's Lily for the annual Spring Dance Concert. See videos of the staging and the final performance. Read a broad look at the Loie Fuller project here.
Dance of the River - A Biology major, Dance minor student created a dance show that toured to local schools to teach young students the importance of rivers. See a video here or read more about it here.
Additional Sample of Dance Films
'Temporal Desires' Video – Museum of Arts and Culture, 2012
'125 Years Dance Celebration' Gonzaga Dance Program Film, 2012
Dancing Around Campus, 2014
Timeline of my years with Gonzaga Dance
At my retirement and 25 year celebration during the Spring Dance Concert in April 2025, we presented the following short videos highlighting the development of Gonzaga Dance. Click on each 5 year period to learn a little bit about what went on during that time.
Click on the Photos to see videos from my time at Gonzaga.
Discussion of a dance work I created that is tied to the University experience.
