Ann earned her degree in both Education and Dance in west Michigan, where she began her teaching career in 1985. She joined the faculty of The Toledo Ballet in 2007, then shortly after created the first adaptive dance program in the Toledo Area. She is grateful for the training the Boston Ballet Adaptive Dance directors offered her through the years, allowing her to grow  the Toledo Ballet Adaptive Dance program to the level it is today. Ann enjoys collaborating with local art organizations, such as Unruly Arts at the Toledo Botanical Gardens as well as The Toledo City Parks, to further the opportunities for the dancers she serves. Dancers in this program have had the pleasure of dancing at Stranahan & Valentine Theaters, integrating into dance productions such as The Nutcracker and The Lion King.  Ann has inspired both audience and dancers to appreciate the benefits of inclusive dance programs.

Outreach collaboration between the Toledo Ballet and the Toledo Public schools began for Ann in 2009, by teaching both typical and special education classrooms the joy of music and movement. Her specially crafted lesson plans for 1st- 4th graders introduce the fundamentals of movement and prepare the students to attend The Nutcracker at the Stranahan Theatre. Performing in The Nutcracker since childhood, Ann continues to play a role today as a performer as well as staging dancers. Her presence on stage brings further excitement to her students in the audience. Her most recent accomplishment in outreach collaboration is with Hawkins STEMM Academy, where she created and implemented a dance & movement curriculum combining elements of the Ohio dance standards and Toledo Public schools K-4 STEMM curriculum. By request , Ann also emphasized Social Emotional Learning integration at all levels.

As an experienced yoga teacher, Ann provides a variety of offerings in the Toledo community to experience the physical and emotional health benefits of yoga. She began her Yoga Teacher Training in 1998, certified in 2001 RYT, and continues ongoing training to offer personalized, effective yoga classes to all populations. Currently she teaches yoga, power yoga, and chair yoga for ProMedica ForeverFit, yoga for dancers, yoga for recovery, and yoga for youth and young adults on the spectrum. This wide range of expertise allows Ann to see each individual student as a unique being and compassionately personalize instruction. 

 The world renowned American Ballet Theatre National Teacher Training Curriculum allowed Ann to elevate her ballet teaching. After successfully completing Pre-primary to Level 5, Ann utilizes the ABT NTC to teach ballet students to use their bodies correctly by focusing on kinetics, coordination, anatomy, and proper body alignment. Artistically, the National Training Curriculum strives to provide dance students with a rich knowledge of classical ballet technique and the ability to adapt to all styles and techniques of dance. In 2024, Ann received the YWCA of Northwest Ohio’s Milestones for Women Award in the arts category in service to the greater Toledo community. 

Availability

Upon request. I have a full teaching schedule but available for guest workshops/classes.