"Art is such a great vehicle to put people at ease, engage their full senses, and set the stage for new community connections."

I didn't have any artistic background and I was not interested in art when I was younger. SAORI changed my LIFE! SAORI weaving focuses on self-expression rather than perfection. It is so freeing and great to express myself with colors and textures.

"I create music for healing, to send a message of happiness to people because the happier people are the more peaceful they will be."

"Teaching and performing feed off of each other. The teaching brings us closer to the audiences and the performing gives weight to our teaching and of course nurtures our creative selves."

"The main thing is that I can’t think of myself as different just because I’m a female. If I work hard and train equally as a male, I can achieve the same result. The only difference is that some moves come easier to a male than a female and vise versa because of where our center of gravity differs."

"When performing, I always remember what an effort it is for people to even decide to come out, to travel, park, pay if needs be, enter an unfamiliar room - what faith they have, to just get to the venue. I always intend to honor that faith, and give them something which over time I have found to be of great value. I do not try to compromise the music or song with too many efforts to be popular or familiar."

"With younger kids—say K-3rd grade—the mechanics of spelling and the effort of handwriting can get in the way of pleasure. For older adults with dementia or physical limitations, writing by hand is not always possible. In both cases, focusing on the orality of poetry makes its original delight accessible to all. Respect and love matter in both settings, also imagination and reverie."

"Everything I do is to foster my creativity. Every moment is utilized during the day. It could be in the way I move to pick something up. It could be the way I say hello to a server at a restaurant. It could be how I am answering this question. I try to take each occurrence throughout the day and analyze why they happened. As an actor: so that I can act better. As a clown: so that I can clown better. As a musician: so that I can express the music better."

"I have taught and choreographed in Minnesota, California, Haiti and Cuba, using dance and music to empower people of all ages and connect them with crucial outlets for self-expression. I have always found a way to practice and share the songs and dances that run in my blood. Despite limited resources; I take time to build community wherever I go."