My journey began at Shawl Anderson dance center in Berkeley at the age of 23. I was working as a nuclear engineer at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and wanted something physical to do. I took a class and was hooked on dance. I have not stopped since.
I began at Shaw Anderson dance center taking modern and ballet classes. Soon I was also dancing with the Oakland Ballet. My journey took a sharp turn as I attended the University of Utah and got an MFA in Modern Dance. This allowed me to teach at local colleges. After hanging up my ballet shoes, I became full time at CCSF for thirty years. After numerous joint replacements I took to dancing Lindy Hop and ballroom dance. These days I compete in ballroom,
I love to garden and am a Master Garden volunteering out of UC Davis. I also enjoy baking and whatever my wife asks me to do.
I had a very successful job in which I was bored. Dance taught me discipline, the value of hard work, belief in myself and that you should follow your passion. You only go around once in this life, do what you love.
I received my training from private studios in the bay area and The University of Utah for modern and ballet. I received my training for ballroom dancing at Allegro and Just Dance Studios in Oakland. I also received training in Ballroom from private teachers Jeff Chandler, Lucy Yoo and Vanessa Thomson.
Dance for me is an alluring lover, a demanding taskmaster and an almost spiritual experience. From my first class I knew I had found my life's work. As a teacher of dance my job was to structure the class so the students could experience dance. Then, for those like me, dance would do the rest.