CURRENT MISSION

You've got something to teach me.

ABOUT ME

Grew up just outside of Chicago. Spent a year in San Francisco in various forms of school. Moved to the city 5 years ago for conservatory training. Now I'm dancing, hustling, and brewing up ideas!

PHILOSOPHY

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day."
--E.B. White

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have been too nomadic to host (yet!) formally through CS, but surfing worldwide has, without a doubt, changed me for the (much) better.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I spent two months in Europe 2 summers ago, 5 weeks of which I spent surfing for the first time. Completely humbled and inspired by all my cool (and much cooler than me) hosts, I've continued to surf around the world since. Have made some lifelong friends, and looking to keep the good times rollin.

One of the best experiences I had was going to a Tanzanian bar in Bergen with my host - who knew I would be using my Swahili in Norway?!

Interests

I am invigorated by my surroundings and look to them for inspiration.

I'm a professional dancer doing the freelance thang in various capacities, collaborating obsessively with other mediums, and getting things done. Constantly trying to engage and saturate both sides of my brain, albeit exhausting. With wobbly ankles and a knack for spreadsheets I'll likely end up on the admin side of things, and am always eager to soak up relative nuggets from both sides of your brain (gimme).

I'm good at working really hard, not having a sense of smell, reading, body language, reading body language, being curious, bad/awesome puns, sudoku, constructive procrastination.

• dancing
• causes
• reading
• sudoku
• surfing
• freelancing

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm on page 3 of a handful of things on my bedside table. But the news is always for breakfast and the New Yorker for commuting.

Radiolab and This American Life Podcasts are staples, and my musician parents have educated my ears quite well.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One of my students in Arusha, Tanzania who had paralyzing TB (or whatever the doctors say it is that day) participated in our workshop in every way she could and, in dance class specifically, asked for more repititions and more exercises- and less sympathy. TB never took her spirit down her spine with it, and when I feel stuck in my own tracks a brief memory of her courage puts me back in motion.

**UPDATE winter 2014 she has had a surgery that is helping to remobilize her spine!

Teach, Learn, Share

I have three years of experience in a start-up nonprofit, and would love to help other good causes with strategies for organizing and fundrai$ing.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Kenya, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Tanzania, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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