About | Creative Arts Dance Center in Holmen, WI

Amy of the Creative Arts Dance Center in Holmen, WI

Hi! I'm Amy.

I love dance, poetry, creativity, and art.

I recently moved back to Wisconsin after studying at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. I recently opened the Creative Arts Dance Center and Hip Hop Dance Center in Holmen, Wisconsin, to share what I have learned.

I endlessly study art and want to pour out into others here in this community.

I fell in love with dance

while living in Quito, Ecuador, where everyone dances. Dance is a part of the fabric of family and life there. When I started seeing improvement in an Urban Dance class under an amazing teacher, I bought into the idea that I could actually learn to dance.

I reached a point in life where I felt broken. I had been working for a foundation called End Slavery Ministries Ecuador. I found myself unprepared to cope with some of the dark realities I had encountered. I started a healing process for myself, including going to counseling and working through a recovery program. In the meantime, I continued pursuing my newly found love of dance.

Although many of the things I was learning was helpful, dance began to heal me more than anything else. I enrolled in dance at the local university, and fell in love with ballet. I learned to pay attention to my body and truly listen to what was going on. Seeing the physical progress reminded me of the pattern my heart would follow to heal and progress. Being vulnerable in an encouraging and supportive community met the need for connection in my heart. I learned alignment and breathing, and my tension headaches even began going away.

In 2023 I finally got to pursue my dream of dancing in New York City. I attended the Broadway Dance Center and even auditioned and made a show dancing hip hop!

I want to bring my love for dance, poetry, and the arts back from New York City to my hometown.

My favorite quote

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.." Martha Graham

Dance Training

Early Years

Cinnamon Dance Studios

Dancehood

Amanda's Academy of Dance

SG Danceworkz

Salsa Company

Viterbo University

August 2018-May 2020

Intro to Dance, Ballet I, Ballet II, Ballet II, Jazz I, Dance Composition

La Crosse Dance Centre

August 2020 - June 2021

Joffrey Ballet School

Summer Intern 2020

Broadway Dance Center

Online Winter Program 2021

Online Choreography Program April 2021

Online Intensive Week August 2021

Independent Training Program - One Year 2023

Workshops

American in Paris

Joffrey Ballet School Hip Hop

Lulu Washington Dance Company

Ballet Hispánico

Justin Beiber

Dance Teaching Experience

YMCA

3 Years

Dance Teacher January 2019-June 2021

Twinkle Toes, Pre-Ballet/Tap, Subbing All Styles

La Crosse Dance Centre

Intern August 2020 to June 2021

Broadway Dance Center

Fall 2023

Joffrey Ballet School

Intern Summer 2020

La Crosse

Homeschool

Co-op

Spring 2021

Baby Ballet, Pre-Ballet & Rhythm, Young Dancer Hip Hop

Dance/Movement Therapy

I will be graduating with my Masters in Addictions Psychology in Fall of 2024 and will continue pursuing certification as a Dance Movement Therapist.

Additional Training

Songwriting Certificate from Gotham Writers Workshop (In Progress)

Piano from Cornerstone University

Poetry from Cornerstone University (Concentration in Creative Writing)

The 7 Principles In Every Class

CREATIVITY - I’m a firm believer that kids shouldn’t only learn to do as they are told. Kids need a safe space to explore their own voice and make their own decisions. In class, they will have the opportunity to express themselves and create their own dances! Each person has their own unique ideas. We will learn to create and invent together.
MOVEMENT - Kids don’t move enough anymore. We will be moving the entire class! Movement is key to brain development. I intentionally incorporate key movements for healthy brain development according to Anne Green Gilbert's Brain Dance.
FUN! - Okay, we’re also going to have a TON of fun!
CONFIDENCE - Your kiddo isn’t a number in class or in a program. We practice decision making, introducing themselves, presenting themselves, and taking up space! In life, kids are told to sit down and be quiet - our class teaches kids to express themselves and love who they are!
RESILIENCE SKILLS - I believe the more we can expose kids to healthy coping skills, the more tools they will have to be prepared for the future. Every class incorporates principles from the Alexander Technique, somatic awareness, “body listening,” and basic interoception practices. These practices have been demonstrated to heal trauma and build resiliency.
CONNECTION - Dancing alone is fun, but dancing together is magical! When everyone moves together, we feel a part of something bigger ourselves.
DANCE - And, of course, they will learn the basic fundamentals of dance! Depending on the class, kids will learn the foundations of ballet, groove, and rhythm. Kids will practice being able to access all their facilities and develop a strong base whether they would like to continue dance in the future or not.

As you can see, my dance classes are much more than just learning how to stand on our tiptoes or wear tutus (though that’s pretty fun and we’ll do that too!)

It’s about giving kids a safe space to tap into who they really are and move and be whatever they are feeling! I don’t know where I would be without creative movement and dance, and I want every kiddo to have the chance to fall in love with themselves and expressing themselves through creative ways too.

Dance is just one way! Even if dance doesn’t end up being the love of your kiddos life, I guarantee you they will experience healthy practices that will benefit them for all their life.

Let's dance!!

Amy

Our 3 Values

Dance is for everyone
FUN
My Voice Matters - This is the big one. We learn to create, not just repeat. We learn creativity, decision making, and risk taking. We listen to our emotions, and are moved. We don't just "move." We are authentic and genuine, and we express what we feel. We don't ignore. We don't suppress. We listen. To ourselves, to others. We observe, we feel, we connect, and we respond. Authenticity is key. This creates a holistic dance environment that brings both healing and joy. We tap into that inner spark, that place that teaches us how to make a decision. That is genuinely ours alone. It matters. You matter. Your voice matters. My voice matters. And the world is a more beautiful place when we learn to express our voice.

"Amy is a wonderfully patient, compassionate, and warm teacher. She possesses a deep love for dance and a passion for helping young people understand and feel good in their bodies and find their creative voice through movement."

NIKKI, OWNER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF LA CROSSE DANCE CENTRE. https://lacrossedancecentre.org/

"Amy is a soul that is meant to teach dance. Her passion for dance is strong and her love and ability to teach is out of this world. She makes sure every student in the room is loved and feels important. Anyone taking a class from Amy is sure to have the best time with a smile on their face, leave knowing that they learned something, and be so excited to come back for another class."

KYLE AIDEN, CHOREOGRAPHER, TEACHER, OWNER OF KYLE AIDEN CHOREOGRAPHY. https://www.kyleaiden.com/

"Amy was so amazing with our kids! She led a dance class and a Spanish class my kids were in. She brings her knowledge to the kids in such a fun, unique and energetic way. I've truly never met anyone who's made learning as much fun as she does!"