molded after the incredible mind and teaching philosophies of Anne Green Gilbert and her dedicated faculty at the Creative Dance Centre in Seattle, Washington. All of our school-age children will have opportunities to take ballet, pointe(when applicable) tap, jazz, hip hop as well as have opportunities to work with guest artists. We are super excited to launch our professional experience program "PEP" for those older students on the cusp of professional careers. We will be a place for them to get the fine tuning, strength building and performing experience that they need to prepare them for life in the field.
PR4P: How do you inspire your students to do their very best work?
We expect our students, to work hard and push themselves outside of their comfort zones, to accept their challenges, to own and celebrate their strengths. They are in charge of their own destiny no matter what path they take. Tim always says, "Prepare for greatness." That's it! We enter the studio with all of the incredible teachers from our past. Like ghosts of inspiration, they hover over and inspire us. We have had so much good in our lives that we can really afford to pass it forward. As parents we know firsthand what a commitment the families make to provide lessons for their kids. We expect a lot from our students and it is our responsibility to provide quality education and a respectful and well run program.
PR4P: How do you manage to juggle building a dance institute and raising a family?
Juggling a studio as well as a family of 5 is not the easiest thing but we are fortunate that our kids enjoy being at the studio a lot! It takes lots of communication as well as support from our families and friends.
PR4P: What are your hopes and dreams for the future of the Lynch institute?
Our dream for the Lynch Dance Institute is that it becomes a true arts hub. A place brimming with educational and collaborative opportunities that reach far into the community including every discipline in order to support, foster and develop arts in a world that so desperately needs it.
PR4P: Do you think everyone should dance?
Our bodies are expressive vehicles that process our feelings. Studies have shown that dance has the ability to decrease anxiety and boost your mood. It does this better than any other form of physical exercise because it is an expressive artistic form and not just a physical release. Coordination, flexibility and an undeniably strong mind body connection are all major reasons for people to dance, but of course, we must not forget the simple joy we experience while moving to music.
Alexandra Dickson
Alexandra Dickson was born in Whitehorse, Yukon. She trained at the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver, B.C., for 10 years, and at Pacific Northwest Ballet on full scholarship. Alex joined PNB as a corps member in 1990, and after two years returned to her native Canada to perform with Ballet British Columbia. It was there that she toured throughout Canada and the U.S. performing works by such choreographers as William Forsythe, Paul Taylor, John Alleyne and James Kudelka.
In 1995 Alex returned to PNB as a soloist and performed feature roles in George
Balanchine’s Serenade, La Valse, Agon, Four Temperaments, Symphony in C, Divertimento #15, Chaconne, Ballet Imperial, Theme and Variations, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Alex also had an extensive neo classical and contemporary repertoire that included works by Kent Stowell, Mark Dendy, Clark Tippet, Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Lar Lubavitch, Lila York, Donald Byrd, Rudy Van Danzig, Nicolo Fonte, Kevin O’Day, Eliot Feld, Miriam Mahdaviani, Choo San Goh, Ton Simons, Val Caniparoli and Nacho Duato.
From 2007-2014 she danced for Seattle Dance Project in works by Molissa Fenley, Donald Byrd, Hilde Koch, and Edwaard Liang. She performed the leading role in Edwaard Liang’s Flight of Angels as well as his ballet To Converse Too. Most recently she has performed as the Stepmother in Mr. Liang’s Cinderella and assisted the Artistic team at BalletMet as children’s ballet mistress and stager of Liang’s works.. She is also a Stott Certified Pilates Instructor and has coached and trained gymnasts, ice skaters, and other top performing athletes. “I love my time in the studio with my students. Whether they are recreational dancers or budding professionals I find such delight in passing on all the good that I have been so very fortunate to have experienced during my very rich and personally fulfilling professional career. It is a true privilege to be a teacher and I believe that it is my responsibility to encourage my students and help each one of them embrace an authentic sense of self.”