Hi, I'm Heather!

My Story
 

For most of my life, dance has been my anchor, my language, and my way of feeling most alive. But like so many dancers, I’ve also experienced seasons of disconnection. At times, the thing that once made me feel the most like me suddenly felt out of reach. And with that came an identity crisis, a sense of loss, and a void.

Echo Dance Collective was born to fill that void... and this wasn't just my own void, it was a collective void I felt in so many dancers around me. A quiet, unspoken grief for the magic, community, and creative fire that so many of us thought we had to leave behind after our years in high school, college or other structured dance spaces. Echo is here to heal that. It’s here to bring us back home to ourselves, our childlike wonder, to each other, and to our love for movement.

 

We’re building something SO much bigger than any one of us. An international web of passionate dancers, facilitators, and creators who are ready to link arms across the globe and reignite that spark together. We’re creating spaces where dance exploration can live and thrive beyond any formal structure or institution. Spaces where we can be seen, witnessed, and held. Where PLAY is encouraged. Where we can connect with movement, nature, each other, and with the parts of ourselves that may have been buried under responsibility, doubt, or the idea that we’re “too old” or “too busy” to dance the way we used to.

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The spark for Echo came while I was working as the Dance Program Coordinator at Sacred Heart University in 2023. I had the privilege of leading college dancers abroad to Ireland and Italy, being reminded of the power dance has to transcend language and borders, uniting us in ways nothing else can. But the initial seeds for Echo were planted long before that, before I was even conscious of them. They took root during my time training at Accademia dell’Arte in Italy, where I fell in love, not just with the landscapes and culture, but for site-specific work, contact improvisation, and the magic of collaborative co-creation. Spaces where facilitators and students exist on an even playing field. Spaces where anything goes, everything is accepted, and creativity has no limits. Spaces where we move freely, connect intentionally, and witness each other with deep presence, curiosity, and love. There’s something so deeply human and soul-nourishing about that kind of experience. And I want every dancer, everywhere, to feel it. To keep feeling it. Because this is where the magic is. This is what life is actually about.

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I could go into my credentials, my training, my degree, my certifications, my professional experience. And sure, those things have shaped me. My dance journey has taken me through ballet, modern, tap, contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop. It’s led me from The Performing Arts Center of CT (now Rockwell Dance Center) to Joffrey Ballet School, Muhlenberg College (where I earned my BA in Dance with a concentration in Choreography), professional performances at Dixon Place NYC and the Koresh Artist Showcase in Philadelphia. I’ve taught and choreographed for studios across Connecticut, Sacred Heart University, and expanded my passion beyond dance as a 200-hour certified yoga teacher and holistic health coach.

 

But my real experience TRULY comes from being human.

It’s not the big moments in schools, studios or theaters that have defined me, it’s everything in between. It’s the work it took to overcome years of eating disorders and body image struggles. It’s the countless times I danced barefoot in the grass, using movement to heal a broken heart. It’s the years of nannying that showed me the importance of creating warmth, safety, and presence in every space I hold and keeping PLAY alive in my life.  It’s the moments of feeling lost, not enough, and uncertain of my path. Experiencing loss, grief, and heartbreak, and allowing each of those experiences to strengthen my relationship with life, with myself, and with the present moment. Dance has been my sanctuary through it all. It has soothed me, supported me, and reminded me of who I am. 

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My personal healing journey led me to somatic practices, energy work, parts work, and nervous system regulation. And I’ve realized that all of these things (dance, embodiment and healing) are inextricably linked. Alyse Parker has been a pivotal mentor in my life, helping me return home to myself and reinforcing what I’ve always felt to be true: Dance is a way of life, a gateway to our truest selves, a mirror reflecting back our deepest truths, and a bridge that connects us to others and to the Divine.

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Dance lives in us. In our cells, our breath, our relationships, and the way we move through the world. And Echo exists to remind us of that. To show us that our love for movement, our creative nature, and our passion for performance don’t have to fade with time or career changes. These things are within us, always. They are ours to nurture, reignite, and sustain, especially when we have the right community by our side.

I want us all to feel like we belong here, no matter what our background is.

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Because this is more than dance. It’s unity. It’s embodiment. It’s living with intention. It’s keeping the child in us alive. It’s creative freedom. It’s deep connection. It’s joy. It’s love. It’s life.

 

Yes, know how cheesy that sounded, but it’s true!

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And I can’t grow this alone. This is my initial vision, but it's OUR collective purpose and mission as dancers, movement lovers + creative beings! The very essence of Echo is unity and connection. So, I’m inviting you to build this movement with me, and to leave a lasting echo of unity, love, and PLAY as our collective legacy.