2025 was filled with SO much love. I'm so grateful to have worked with so many incredibly talented and kind people. This "work" is such a privilege. As I look back, I see a year rooted in growth, collaboration, and rediscovering joy in both process and performance. From my directorial debut to returning to the classroom and the stage, this year deepened my belief that movement is most powerful when it serves story, character, and community. In other words, I feel pretty damn lucky.
Opera House Players, Director and Choreographer
Directing and choreographing A Chorus Line marked a major milestone for me. Approaching this iconic piece meant honoring its legacy while shaping it for our specific cast and community. My choreographic work focused on transcribing and editing original Broadway choreography to highlight individual strengths while maintaining the integrity of the material. Collaborating with Luis Villabon through an ACL boot camp grounded the process in respect for the original work while empowering performers to bring their own authenticity to the stage. Additionally, choices such as expanding the ensemble's presence beyond the opening number and using mirrors to deepen emotional storytelling, particularly in What I Did for Love, allowed the movement to reflect both vulnerability and collective experience.
I just want to take an extra moment to express how grateful I am that Luis, an award-winning and sought-after performer/choreographer/director, drove all the way to our little town to work with our cast. He also responded to tons of annoying questions, sent videos, spent hours on Zoom with me and offered advice only and if I was in a place to receive it. It is not lost on me how lucky I am to have such an incredible friend who was there for me in this process. It was my honor to watch him dance and be recognized in the 50th anniversary of A Chorus Line at the Schubert Theatre later on in the year.
What I learned: Intentional adaptation strengthens storytelling. Honoring history while embracing the individuality of a cast creates deeper emotional impact, and choreography is most effective when precision and personal connection coexist.
Little Theatre of Manchester, Choreographer
For 9 to 5, my approach leaned into character-driven movement inspired by jazz, tap, and square dance, with an emphasis on humor and theatricality. The dream sequence became a central storytelling moment and used movement to reflect each character’s inner fantasy while maintaining momentum and clarity.
Late changes to the scenic environment required quick adjustments, ultimately strengthening the choreography by pushing me to rethink spacing, intention, and storytelling in real time.
What I learned: Flexibility is a creative asset. Constraints often lead to stronger, more grounded solutions when movement remains rooted in character and purpose.
Little Theatre of Manchester, Choreographer
My work on Sweeney Todd centered on embodied narrative movement rather than traditional dance vocabulary. Movement functioned as an extension of the show’s emotional and rhythmic structure, which allowed the ensemble to serve as physical storytellers and atmospheric support throughout the piece.
By maintaining purposeful movement even in transitions and choral moments, sequences like City on Fire became exercises in controlled chaos, with every performer grounded in intention and story.
What I learned: Movement does not need to be decorative to be impactful. Restraint, continuity, and clear physical intention can unify complex narratives and heighten tension just as effectively as spectacle.
Nutmeg’s Dance and Theatre Co.
The Broadway Jazz Dance Series brought together dancers ages 15 and up in high-energy, drop-in classes rooted in joy, sweat, and theatricality. Inspired by the jazz classes I took in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The classes were SO MUCH fun. Insane energy. Stretching, sweating and across the floors with a packed room felt like the jazz classes I remember taking in the late 90s/early 2000s at Steps on Broadway or Broadway Dance Center. People were literally cheering (and snapping) for each other as dancers of all levels of experience went across the floor. The support and genuine love of dance in the room felt…electric.
Each class explored a different era or style, including Golden Age jazz with Too Darn Hot from Kiss Me, Kate, stylized theatre jazz with Cell Block Tango from Chicago, and contemporary theatre with My Shot from Hamilton.
The energy in the rooms led to the expansion of the series into a monthly offering. We have since explored combinations from Popular from Wicked, Carnival del Barrio from In the Heights, and a Rockettes medley, with upcoming classes including Cool from West Side Story in January and Backstage Romance from Moulin Rouge in February.
What I learned: Technique thrives when paired with joy. Community-driven dance spaces encourage confidence, risk-taking, and artistry, and revisiting styles across eras builds both versatility and connection.
PR work in Theatre
This year, I was also happy to continue supporting
Opera House Players with their digital presence. Working with Sarah Stephens on shows can be such a joy. I came to her with some really specific ideas for our ACL production, and she didn’t just execute them; she leveled them up.
Additionally, our Agency is now the proud host and support for two local theatre programs:
Opera House Players and
Valley Student Theatre. It was such a privilege to support the buildout for these (shout-out to Sarah Stephens once again for her beautiful design work), as well as to continue supporting them moving forward!
Portfolio and Photoshoot
Over the summer, I worked on documenting some of the more significant projects I’ve undertaken over the past 20+ years. This exercise was deeply reflective and meaningful. So often, especially if we tend to do multiple shows in a year, we forget what a privilege it is to be immersed in art. The pressure and being busy are privileges that we always hoped for. I collected photos from various productions, performances, and workshops; worked on bts videos of teaching; wrote up approaches and any challenges/innovations or notable moments and shared media assets from the show’s photographers.
Beyond that, I decided it was time to update my pro shots to reflect my 42-year-old body. I love this older body that’s 20 lbs. stronger and more experienced. If I’m being totally honest, it was a lot for me to do this. We live in a world of over-edited photos and constant judgment. I was so thrilled to have so many friends and people reach out and say they were beautiful. This was sort of a theme this year - kind people who hype each other up and I’m so grateful to be surrounded by this kind of energy!
Current and Upcoming Work
I am currently serving as guest choreographer for Chess with Opera House Players, focusing on movement that supports emotional storytelling and musical complexity. Also, who doesn’t love 80s rock vibes?
Additionally, I am guest choreographing a Musical Theatre Review with South Hadley High School, collaborating with young performers and continuing my commitment to arts education and mentorship.
Lastly, I am performing in an upcoming Razzle Dazzle show, with the title to be announced on January 18, which has been an invigorating return to the stage and has deepened my perspective as both a choreographer and actor. It’s been 18 years. I can’t express how grateful I am to be back on the stage, directed by an insanely talented director and surrounded by a cast and creative team that gave me literal goosebumps the first time I watched them perform the opening number.
Looking Ahead
2025 wasn’t just about producing work; it was about really diving into story, movement, and community. From the raw, reflective moments of A Chorus Line to the intense physicality of Sweeney Todd and the joyful energy of the Broadway Jazz Dance Series, this year reminded me why I love creating, teaching, and performing. I can’t wait to carry this energy into the next season of theatre-making.
