Our Teachers

Anna grew up in a family of musicians and art-makers. She received her early dance training in ballet and creative dance and spent most of her free time making up dances, constructing elaborate costumes, composing music and producing theatrical spectacles with her friends and family. As a young adult, while continuing to train in concert dance forms, Anna became heavily involved with social justice work; joining the anti-globalization movement, becoming an organizer with Resource Generation, and working with The Prison Birth Project. During this time she became deeply inspired by the community engaged dance companies the Urban Bush Women and the Dance Exchange, practices which informed her on-going work as a dance educator.

In 2007 Anna moved from her hometown of Boston to start a collective homestead in Gill, MA where she continues to live with her partner, her 12-year-old and many animals and friends. In 2009 Anna founded Great Falls Creative Movement (GFCM), A Franklin County based organization offering social-justice informed creative dance programming at The Brick House Community Resource Center, as well as in schools, nursing homes and community organizations. Through GFCM Anna has received 7 STARS Residency grants, 8 local cultural grants, partnered with over 20 schools and organizations and produced 5 evening-length productions of student choreography.

In 2016 Anna was awarded a Frances Perkins Scholarship to finish her undergraduate degree at MtHolyoke College. She received her BA in dance with a focus on interdisciplinary arts and education in 2020. While at MtHolyoke she studied with Molly Christie Gonzalez, Jodi Falk, Dasha Chapman, Lester Tome, Mei Ann Teo, Wendy Woodson, Lailye Weidman, Paul Matteson, Nancy Stark-Smith, Jake Mejinsky, Jenna Riegel and Barbie Diewald. She performed in work by Bebe Miller and choreographed a solo work, “meet me out there” performed at Amherst College. Anna’s research has focused on anti-racist practices of naming lineage and contextualizing dance in dance education with children. She is fed in all of her work by an ongoing movement practice with her dear friends Julia Handschuh and Lailye Weidman.

As a kid in Wisconsin, Jules’ lifelong love of dance began when he studied modern and West African dance techniques, Capoeira, and had the chance to create and perform in his own dances.

He received a BA in dance and community dance studies from Hampshire College in 2003 and an MFA in dance from Sarah Lawrence College in 2008. As a professional dancer, performer, and choreographer in New York City for the past 14 years, he has performed nationally and internationally, collaborating with Tatyana Tenenbaum, devynn emory, Hadar Ahuvia, Circus Amok, Emily Popp, and The Ballez among others. Jules’ own performance works have been presented in New York, Wisconsin, Washington, and Massachusetts. 

Jules has a special love for the joy and immense possibilities of teaching our very youngest dancers. In his classes, Jules integrates his past dance experience with stories, songs, and games. He teaches from the core principles of respect for all bodies, curiosity and openness towards all students, and a commitment to anti-racism and non-Eurocentric art education. The goal of all of Jules’ dance classes is to create a learning environment in which all participants have space to explore their own embodiment, and learn about and connect with themselves, each other, and the world. 

I have also taken classes at other dance studios, but Great Falls Creative Movement has always been my favorite. This past year I have helped out with Anna’s classes she held in Gill.

I live with my mom, my brother, and my dog, Violet and am entering high school at Four Rivers Charter School. I have quick sense of humor and a tendency to be bold. It’s totally worth it to say that I am also very kind and big hearted; that’s what my mother told me to write. I love creating art, jewelry and other crafts and am often found writing poetry, stories and occasionally music.

I am hopeful that this experience will give me the opportunity to grow as both a dancer and a person. I am super excited to be working with Anna this year and to be helping out with some of the classes.