Finally, after a long road of graduate exploration beginning in 2016, I am excited to share I officially hold a Master (hate it) of Fine Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Arts with concentrations in both Decolonial Arts Praxis and Performance Creation Concentrations from Goddard College.
This wasn’t a journey I took alone. The following is my acknowledgements page from my thesis, Working Consent: Ethical Engagement with Collaborators, Audiences, and the Land in Dance and Theatre Pedagogy and Practice.
The first acknowledgement must go to Pedram. You are the most supportive, wonderful partner, and I am so grateful to navigate life with you.
Much gratitude is due to Tonia Sina, whose thesis and work brought Intimacy Direction to the public conversation. Not only that, but I am lucky enough to call Tonia “mentor” in this work. Her generosity, for the field, the work, and all of us she trained is inspirational.
My other mentor in intimacy work- Dan Granke. Thank you for believing in me and holding me to a high standard.
My undergrad dance teacher, Dr. Karen Clemente. Your classes were the first time I saw dance beyond a performing art, and really felt its potential as a somatic practice.
Which continued in my work with Bill Evans. Bill, your teaching shifted my paradigm of what a dance class could be. I am so grateful for you, and for the community you have built and included me in, that has helped me grow as a dancer and teacher.
All of my Goddard teachers, mentors, advisors- wow. I am so thankful to have been in the presence of each of you. To have learned from you, been encouraged and challenged by you. You have helped me to integrate my scholarly/teacherly parts with my artist/creative parts, and I could not have done it without you. Particularly JuPong and Michael, your time, attention, and encouragement in the portfolio process have been invaluable. You both have pushed me and supported me, and my artistry and scholarship are better for it.
Geri Brown- you changed my life. You gave me a space to synthesize these thoughts before this paper. Thank you for being my friend, my accountability partner, my co-conspirator.
For Sarah Lozoff and Renee Redding-Jones- We’re going to change the world.
Halie Bahr and Cat Kamrath Monson- Thank you for helping me synthesize my thoughts on pedagogy and for the time and reason to work on them.
Harshika Amin, Ash Anderson, Suzanne Ankrum-Harris, Joanna Asch, Meredith Bartmon, Jessica Bennett, Ian Bond (to whom an extra-special thanks is due, for being my co-presenter, as we embodied collaboration on graduation weekend!), Stephanie Capon, Joseph Cloud, Crystal U. Davis, Hannah Fisher, Rachel Flesher, Niki Fridh, Colleen Hughes, Jeri Lynne Johnson, Gaby Labotka, Carol Kaminsky, Samantha Kaufman, Erin Law, Margaret Ledford, Yasmin Llevada, Daimien Matherson, Ricky Morrisseau, Tara Moses, Emilio Rodriguez, Kunya Rowley, Molly W. Schenck, Jose Solís, Matt Stabile, Colleen Wahl, and Sara Yanney- so much of who I am, as an artist, teacher, and human, is due to being in relationship with you.
In memory of Cadence Whittier. Your joy in teaching, moving, creating, performing, writing, and living fully present remain an inspiration.