I grew up on a hobby farm in Minnesota, was a 4-H'r and, yes, I took grand champion and best in show at the MN State Fair with my angora rabbit. 4-H also allowed me to sample all kinds of art, performing, painting, woodwork, photography, flower arranging... archery, and more.
My journey through the performing, and other arts is a curvy line. As a multi-passionate artist I have worked in many capacities from photographer for a charity walk to trampoline stunt extra in an indie film.
4-H was a great testing ground, I went to college at UMN as a theatre/dance double major with a vocal performance minor until I was offered a place at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland. After graduating, I was cast in a one-woman show in Derry, N. Ireland, then went back to the states and worked on stage and film, took a U-turn back to dancing for a couple companies for a few years and back to acting. I trained in Reggio Emilia, Italy at ArscomicA in commedia dell'Arte and when I came back to the USA I worked on my painting and sculpting as well as taught commedia dell'Arte.
Throughout the curvy artistic journey, I have been teaching fitness, health & wellness since 2008. Fitness and being an artist are not separate to me. A lot of artistic opportunities would have been missed without a focus on health & wellness. My balance is: without one the other cannot thrive.
I am a CYT200 (Certified Yoga Teacher) and NASM-CPT, CNC (National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer & Certified Nutrition Coach). As a coach and teacher, I love little more than hearing my students talk about their discoveries and wins. That's the chocolate that feeds my soul.
If you want to train with me, you will get the whole fitness approach. I will not work with individuals who don't do the work. I do not separate nutrition, fitness, wellness, mindset, etc. As an actor, You have to be ready to start rehearsal the day after your audition, not 3 months later so you have time to train... You're cast because you're the whole package they want, NOW. I've known waaaaaaaaaay too many actors who have said, "if you cast me, I'll work really hard and learn whatever you need me to." Sorry, but no. You will only be cast if you put in the work to be the whole package. And you must have the confidence and presence of mind to continue working on yourself to be better than yesterday - when 90% of the time you will not be cast. But that 10%, that's the magic, that's what we love, and all you really need is one job that makes your career.