I approach performance education as both an artistic and ethical endeavor. The two are inseparable: how we train artists reflects what we believe about human dignity, belonging, and the purpose of performance itself. That conviction shapes every dimension of my teaching, from repertoire selection to studio culture to the structures I build for feedback and assessment.

I was raised in Honolulu, Hawai'i, a place shaped by Indigenous knowledge, migration, colonization, and cultural hybridity. Growing up as a queer, white student in a majority AANHPI environment deepened my understanding of how power, visibility, and belonging operate in educational spaces, while also sharpening my awareness of my own inherent privilege and the responsibilities that accompany it. These are not abstract lessons. They are the foundation of my practice.

In the classroom, inclusion is a structural commitment, not a value I hold in reserve for difficult moments. I design courses that combine high artistic standards with flexibility in process and access. Through intentional repertoire selection, transparent expectations, and collaborative studio norms, I cultivate environments where difference functions as a creative force, and where mistakes are catalysts for growth rather than markers of failure.

My pedagogy draws from a wide range of frameworks, including the Luckett Paradigm, somatic practices informed by Eastern philosophy, Indigenous storytelling frameworks, and diverse Western acting and movement lineages. Rather than positioning any single methodology as universal, I curate techniques in response to students' identities, learning styles, and artistic goals, allowing them to develop performance practices that are both personally authentic and professionally viable.

Accessibility is central to my approach. As a neurodivergent educator, I am keenly aware of how traditional educational structures can unintentionally exclude capable and creative students. My course design incorporates flexible assignment structures, multiple modes of participation, scaffolded feedback, and process-oriented assessment. Reflective journaling, mindfulness practices, and clear communication protocols support students navigating anxiety, executive functioning challenges, or complex external responsibilities.

My commitment to inclusion extends beyond individual classrooms. I actively pursue professional development related to racial justice, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, universal design for learning, and culturally responsive pedagogy, and I approach mentorship as an ongoing, relational practice.

The artists I most want to support are the ones who have been told, implicitly or explicitly, that this field was not built for them. My job is to help them prove that wrong, and to build training environments rigorous enough to prepare them and honest enough to deserve their trust.