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This is me. I'm always moving with or through something... I spread energy onto canvas using paint and experience music through movement. In addition to being fascinated by colors and their ability to continuously create infinite constellations of realities and possibilities, I am intrigued by their unique energetic vibration and healing abilities.
I was born into a multi-lingual and multicultural family and grew up in culturally and linguistically diverse Switzerland. Throughout my life I have been very blessed to have traveled extensively with my family, allowing me to experience many different cultures and customs. This in turn awakened my curiosity about how different cultures use the arts to commune with God through prayer, record history, communicate with each other, and how the arts can be used to heal and nourish our mind, body and soul.
I was born into a multi-lingual and multicultural family and grew up in culturally and linguistically diverse Switzerland. Throughout my life I have been very blessed to have traveled extensively with my family, allowing me to experience many different cultures and customs. This in turn awakened my curiosity about how different cultures use the arts to commune with God through prayer, record history, communicate with each other, and how the arts can be used to heal and nourish our mind, body and soul.
Portal Into Your Universe - 2018
Although I was enrolled in different dance classes early in life, it wasn't until I feel in love with Flamenco at the age of sixteen that my passion for dance was born. At age seventeen however, my family and I left rainy Switzerland to live in sunny Southern California. The transition and assimilation process was everything but easy. After the initial shock of moving across the Atlantic ocean began to fade, my father helped me find some "normalcy" in my new reality by making the commitment of driving me to a weekly Flamenco class, one and a half hours away.
"La Flamenca de Triana"
After finishing high school in California, I embarked on a four year journey to college. However, after my first year, I could no loner ignore or suppress my yearning for Flamenco. After some extensive research and planning, I moved to Sevilla, the heart of Flamenco and Andalusia (Southern Spain). As luck and Divine guidance would have it, I was blessed with living in Triana, the gypsy neighborhood in the outskirts of Sevilla. Life all of a sudden became a dream! As opposed to just taking a weekly Flamenco class as I was when living in California, I soon was breathing and living Flamenco. By day I taught English to a private student while continuing my coursework at a university and by night I took I was following my dream, taking as many Flamenco classes as possible. I even had the honor of co-teaching an introductory course to the American students in my foreign exchange program.
Behind The Invisible - 2016
Although my study abroad program was scheduled for a year, I decided, with a heavy heart, to return to California six months early because I knew my soul would not survive another "cross-Altlanic move" six months later.
Once I returned to the U.S., I moved to San Francisco, a city I found to be rich in culture, art and Flamenco. In addition to taking numerous dance classes (Flamenco and Belly Dance), I was also performing at local Spanish restaurants with Gavin, my then guitar player. I always tried to balance by passions with my academic studies. However, it was quite a challenge to commit to one specific area of study as I wanted to get my hands on everything: Dance, Art, Creative Writing, Cultural Anthropology, Religious Studies and Psychology. Eventually I decided to "play it safe" and get a good (relatively practical) educational foundation and received my B.A. in Speech and Communication (with an emphasis on the Psychology of Communication and another emphasis on Holistic Health).
Once I returned to the U.S., I moved to San Francisco, a city I found to be rich in culture, art and Flamenco. In addition to taking numerous dance classes (Flamenco and Belly Dance), I was also performing at local Spanish restaurants with Gavin, my then guitar player. I always tried to balance by passions with my academic studies. However, it was quite a challenge to commit to one specific area of study as I wanted to get my hands on everything: Dance, Art, Creative Writing, Cultural Anthropology, Religious Studies and Psychology. Eventually I decided to "play it safe" and get a good (relatively practical) educational foundation and received my B.A. in Speech and Communication (with an emphasis on the Psychology of Communication and another emphasis on Holistic Health).
Fluidity - 2016
After graduation and working at a random, non fulfilling job, I once again could not ignore the call of Flamenco and decided I needed to "step it up." Although the two dance forms I loved the most happened to both be very passionate and sensual in nature, my focus has always been to incorporate the sacred, dancing Flamenco and Belly Dance as a prayer. (By the way, this idea of viewing the arts as sacred, spiritual and transcendence dates back to "cave man times)." My heart was focused on weaving the sacred back into the tapestry of dance...
... And so the winds of change lead me to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I was soon enrolled in their Masters Program studying Theater and Dance with an emphasis on Flamenco. Can you believe it! I thought I was dreaming...
... And so the winds of change lead me to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I was soon enrolled in their Masters Program studying Theater and Dance with an emphasis on Flamenco. Can you believe it! I thought I was dreaming...
The Void - 2016
I definitely was not dreaming. Life was... amazing! However, what I had not factored into my dream were elements of reality such as... what happens when you injure your knee? Or hurt your back? What happens when your hurt body does not allow you to move forward and with that limits you on auditions? Well, that and more is exactly what happened to me. I was so focused on the beauty and the spiritual elements of dance that I soon found myself completely unprepared for the competitiveness and the physical demands the performing arts requested of me. The dream I had been chasing since I was sixteen came to a sudden screeching halt as I realized that my skin was not thick enough to build a life as a performer.
With an injured wing and a broken spirit I resigned and returned to San Francisco. I then decided it was easier to abandon the greatest love of my life and walk away from dance forever than to engage in a "limited version" of what I knew was possible. Closing that chapter of my I contemplated taking a vow of something, resignation perhaps, and with that enrolled in San Francisco's famous Culinary Academy. You can take the gypsy dance out of the girl but you can't take the gypsy soul... and with that, vision number two was born: Travel the world, collect gypsy recipes and open up a gypsy/nomadic restaurant.
With an injured wing and a broken spirit I resigned and returned to San Francisco. I then decided it was easier to abandon the greatest love of my life and walk away from dance forever than to engage in a "limited version" of what I knew was possible. Closing that chapter of my I contemplated taking a vow of something, resignation perhaps, and with that enrolled in San Francisco's famous Culinary Academy. You can take the gypsy dance out of the girl but you can't take the gypsy soul... and with that, vision number two was born: Travel the world, collect gypsy recipes and open up a gypsy/nomadic restaurant.
Flight - 2017
The summer before my classes begun, a friend of the family invited me to join her on a four day art retreat in Toscana, Italy. Faster than I could pack my suitcase, I made the necessary trip arrangements, knowing in my heart of hearts I was not meant to be a chef. A few days before flying out ... the retreat got cancelled. However, this small detail did not change our course and so we went to this amazing adventure together, creating our own retreat. For a whole four days and for nights the two of us communed with the sacred energies of creation. Besides taking quick breaks to nourish our physical bodies, we spent all our days and nights using chalk pastels to visually externalize our inner worlds. We laughed. We cried. We experienced creative flow as well as absolute stagnation. We adored what we created. We detested the marks we made on large paper. Everything was... a process.
It was during this serendipitous trip that I had learned more about myself, life and the creative process than I had ever before and with that, once again, felt like a fish in water. I had found my element. My other element; one that did not depend on my physical performance but rather on my intuitive, emotional and cognitive insights. If only there was a profession where I could use my passion for the visual arts to help myself and others on the path of life...
It was during this serendipitous trip that I had learned more about myself, life and the creative process than I had ever before and with that, once again, felt like a fish in water. I had found my element. My other element; one that did not depend on my physical performance but rather on my intuitive, emotional and cognitive insights. If only there was a profession where I could use my passion for the visual arts to help myself and others on the path of life...
Angel Wing - 2017
Guess what? There is! It's called Art Therapy. With the birth of this knowledge came the beginning of a new life. I moved back to Southern California and earned my M.A. in Clinical Art Therapy/Marriage, Family and Child Therapist. I loved learning about human behavior and felt honored as well as privileged to witness countless profound personal transformations and paradigm shifts. And although I felt blessed using art materials to help individuals lessen their pain, I needed time to adjust to my new experiences on becoming a therapist. It almost felt as if the "the pendulum of my life" was swinging far into the opposite direction...
For the past twenty years I have worked with different populations and in different settings within the mental health field. Early in my career I became increasingly interested in the mind- body connection. As I was quickly growing accustomed to seeing many clients a day, I soon realized the importance of a healthy work/life balance. However, despite my many efforts of engaging in diverse hobbies, "tired" soon became my new one letter status quo. I grew very angry that I had somehow voluntarily traded in my vitality for chronic exhaustion. I did not agree that this would be the price I had to pay for helping others. I could not believe this was the path I was supposed to be on. It did not make any sense and I was not willing to resign- again.
It was around that same time I was starting to begin to have some "very interesting and inexplicable phenomena" happen in my life which led me to look for a different set of answers. As you can imagine, the answers I found lead me to a whole other set of questions which in turn guided me to the "mystical world of energies." While studying metaphysics and energy work I was blown away by how simple "energy hygiene" techniques could make such a big difference in the way I was managing my energies and the energies of others. Even though I never learnt any of this in graduate school, what I had stumbled on and was being led to was a true gem that forever would change my life. And so my quest for living a more balanced and integrative life, both personal and professional, had begun.
For the past twenty years I have worked with different populations and in different settings within the mental health field. Early in my career I became increasingly interested in the mind- body connection. As I was quickly growing accustomed to seeing many clients a day, I soon realized the importance of a healthy work/life balance. However, despite my many efforts of engaging in diverse hobbies, "tired" soon became my new one letter status quo. I grew very angry that I had somehow voluntarily traded in my vitality for chronic exhaustion. I did not agree that this would be the price I had to pay for helping others. I could not believe this was the path I was supposed to be on. It did not make any sense and I was not willing to resign- again.
It was around that same time I was starting to begin to have some "very interesting and inexplicable phenomena" happen in my life which led me to look for a different set of answers. As you can imagine, the answers I found lead me to a whole other set of questions which in turn guided me to the "mystical world of energies." While studying metaphysics and energy work I was blown away by how simple "energy hygiene" techniques could make such a big difference in the way I was managing my energies and the energies of others. Even though I never learnt any of this in graduate school, what I had stumbled on and was being led to was a true gem that forever would change my life. And so my quest for living a more balanced and integrative life, both personal and professional, had begun.
Illumination and Integration of Both Hemispheres - 2017
In further wanting to bring other elements of holistic health into my work, I soon grew interested in learning about nutrition and mindfulness. Even though I was focusing on building my career, I never stopped creating my own art. In addition to participating in several group art shows, I also have had two substantial solo painting exhibitions. My work fueled my art and my art fueled my work. Art, self-expression and self-exploration through creativity have always been and continue to be a big part of my life.
However, as if waking up from a long dream, I am once again being haunted by the spirit of Flamenco. Ever since walking away from that painful chapter in my life, I have had reoccurring dreams of me dancing Flamenco. Understanding the importance and the significance of dreams, especially reoccurring ones, I can no loner ignore the call of my soul and of who I am. But this time the call is different. It is not specifically about dancing Flamenco again but rather to express, unite and connect with the duende. Duende is Spanish for Spirit and is a term used by Flamencos (Flamenco dancers) to represent that very moment when the dancer transcends and embodies the spirit of the dance. It is a very profound moment and is visible to the naked eye. It is my calling to combine all I have learned into a beautiful art form in which intentional, meditative movement is the portal to personal transformation on the sacred journey.
Things are rapidly shifting and changing in our world and I am noticing that I can not not answer this call- the call to awaken to my authentic self and the call to help others do the same. The time is now! Therefore, I have created my Nomadic Energy and Movement classes. It is my hope to form a tribe... to unite... to empower each other to see and to be seen... to connect with our inner wisdom, our voices and our intuition... to remember we are not alone but rather connected at a very fundamental and primordial level... to witness and to be present... to raise our vibration and our consciousnesses... to come together... to prepare for the next step in our lives and in our evolution.
(Please check out the "classes" tab for additional information).
However, as if waking up from a long dream, I am once again being haunted by the spirit of Flamenco. Ever since walking away from that painful chapter in my life, I have had reoccurring dreams of me dancing Flamenco. Understanding the importance and the significance of dreams, especially reoccurring ones, I can no loner ignore the call of my soul and of who I am. But this time the call is different. It is not specifically about dancing Flamenco again but rather to express, unite and connect with the duende. Duende is Spanish for Spirit and is a term used by Flamencos (Flamenco dancers) to represent that very moment when the dancer transcends and embodies the spirit of the dance. It is a very profound moment and is visible to the naked eye. It is my calling to combine all I have learned into a beautiful art form in which intentional, meditative movement is the portal to personal transformation on the sacred journey.
Things are rapidly shifting and changing in our world and I am noticing that I can not not answer this call- the call to awaken to my authentic self and the call to help others do the same. The time is now! Therefore, I have created my Nomadic Energy and Movement classes. It is my hope to form a tribe... to unite... to empower each other to see and to be seen... to connect with our inner wisdom, our voices and our intuition... to remember we are not alone but rather connected at a very fundamental and primordial level... to witness and to be present... to raise our vibration and our consciousnesses... to come together... to prepare for the next step in our lives and in our evolution.
(Please check out the "classes" tab for additional information).
She Who Knows - 2017