about me

Born in Portland, Oregon, and raised in Denver, Colorado, Gillian grew up with their gaze raised toward the sky. It’s this sense of lofted inquiry that guides their artistic practice as a dancer and choreographer, as well as their writing as poet, arts educator, and researcher. Performed on stages across Berkshire County, as well as in Los Angeles, Denver, and Paris, Gillian’s choreographic work merges a love for language and for movement. 

Gillian trained with Denver contemporary dance company Wonderbound, Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, Whyteberg, Gibney, Katy Pyle of Ballez, and Bill T. Jones. 

They graduated Summa Cum Laude from Loyola Marymount University with a Dual Degree in Dance and English. While at LMU, they created a series of choreographic research projects focused on the intersection of language, movement, and queerness, culminating in their thesis choreography for eight women. 

They attended the Laban 2018 International Conference on an Honors Summer Fellowship and participated in the 2019 Summer Undergraduate Research Program, drafting a book proposal about dance notation and literacy alongside Dr. Teresa Heiland. After learning from Sarah Kaufman of The Washington Post at the Institute for Dance Journalism and Advocacy, Gillian earned a position as a dance critic for the online arts collective Bachtrack.    

Two of their dance research papers were selected by the William H. Hannon Library for publication, and two of their dance-inspired literary criticism papers were published by the literary criticism journal Criterion. Gillian created a poetry installation for the Thomas P. Kelly Art Gallery and performed spoken word at open mic nights.     

During their presidency in the National Dance Education Organization and LMU’s Chapter of Movement Exchange, Gillian started an after-school dance program at a Los Angeles STEM high school and traveled to Panama City to share dance in the community there. 

Drawn to the communal embodied experience, Gillian is a certified yoga instructor and has taught both dance and yoga in studios and community spaces. After moving to Western Massachusetts to work for Jacob’s Pillow, Gillian became a Teaching Artist Fellow as part of the Massachusetts Cultural Council Creative Youth Development program. Currently, Gillian works for Berkshire Pulse as the Marketing/PR/Youth Performing Arts Program Curriculum Coordinator and is proud to be a member of their Artist Faculty.

In their free time, Gillian loves to write poetry, drink Earl Grey tea, and take photos of sunsets.