Lori Mitchell
We are all movers. Movement is an essential part of life.
We begin our study of movement when we begin life.
We express our selves with gesture, posture and stride everyday of our lives.
That expression is unique.
I began a focused study of dancing at the University of Washington, as a pre-med student working towards a degree in Anthropology. Upon graduation I moved east to Boston, New York and then back to Seattle to continue dancing. It was dance for me not medical school.
Over the last 30 years I have studied modern, ballet, jazz, tap, flamenco and trained in Pilates, Gyrotonics, and Laban movement fundamentals. My work as a dancer has encompassed performance hanging from ladders, dancing in fountains, and dashing across the Broadway stage. Every performance was an expression of the Choreographers vision and my own story. In 1990 I co founded Thread Dance, a collaborative group of four dance familiars, and explored improvisation, personal expression and story telling through movement. Together we found the joy of sharing our dance with small audiences in intimate spaces.
In 1991 I earned my license in massage. Years of practice have taught me much about how the body works, and how to listen. Following this thread I earned my Nursing degree in 2005. Now I travel in the healthcare, academic, and dance worlds with an eye and heart informed by the joy and wisdom of the importance of movement, self expression, and acknowledgement.
Currently I study Flamenco with Elenita Brown, Heather Adams and most recently with Marisol and Joaquin Encinias at the International Flamenco Festival. I am a founding member of Espiritu Flamenco. My Tango teachers include Abby & Diego, Patrick & Grace, and several workshops with Alex Krebs and Murat & Michelle. Whenever possible I dance in Joy French’s Tuesday night Modern class – I highly recommend it.
I love to teach and am fortunate to teach Anatomy & Physiology Labs at Missoula College at the University of Montana and facilitate workshops for Living Art of Montana. At the DDC I get to teach Flamenco and Tango. And best of all I am blessed to dance and teach Tango around Montana with my fabulous partner Patrick Marsolek.