I have been teaching movement in a studio for 25 years and it seems to have flown by! I don’t remember it, but my father tells me that I declared that I wanted to be a teacher when I was a young child. Obviously, my inner self knew way back then what I was destined to do! I have been a dancer and mover since I can remember and to help others move better, with less pain, more strength, more confidence, more freely… fills my heart with joy and a sense of purpose.
I was a late start in the ballet world at the age of 12 but had the passion and drive to catch up to my peers. I danced professionally with the Augusta Ballet Company and then made my way to NYC to study at the The Juilliard School. I am so grateful to have studied with inspiring, world-renowned dance figures and to have learned and performed the work of Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, José Limon, Pilobolus, and others. Soon after, I settled in Charlotte, NC where I taught ballet, modern, and composition at the School of North Carolina Dance Theater (now Charlotte Ballet Academy) for 15 years. I also directed my own performing company, American Dance Art.
In 2009, I began to make the shift towards Pilates and opened Sandvi Studio in 2011. Since then, I have pursued my deep interest in anatomy, biomechanics, and fascia-focused movement and the INCREDIBLE transformation mindful movement practices bring. When I am not teaching, filming classes, or taking more classes, my life revolves around my husband and our two children. My hobbies include reading, photography and biking, and if these are happening near the ocean I'm an even happier human!
