ABOUT ERIN

Erin Parsley is a dance artist, poet, speaker and transformational facilitator.  

After a lifetime immersed in the competitive professional dance world, Erin's life changed dramatically in 2004.  An intense dark night of the soul knocked her off her feet, as it seemed her personal and professional dreams were falling apart all at once.  And at the same time, the abuse she experienced as a teen at the hands of the dance mentor she trusted, arose within her and demanded to be dealt with, as her spirit could no longer allow its silence and suppression. 
So, Erin left the city and enveloped herself deep into the wild, remote mountains of the Pacific Northwest, and embarked on a transformational, healing journey.  Through daily immersion with nature, both in the pristine wilderness that surrounded her, as well as in the thriving organic garden and homestead she tended, Erin found herself intimately connecting to Spirit and to a realm of inspiration she had never before imagined.  She also found the courage to bring her former perpetrator to court, to stand strong through an intensive two-year process, and to emerge with the victory she fought for: his conviction, which will keep minors safe from him from now on.  
Having found the amazing strength and beauty of her own spirit, and by connecting to the freedom that is available even in the midst of difficult experiences, Erin’s greatest joy is in illuminating the incredible creative essence and absolute worthiness inherent in every person.  Erin dynamically expresses her own journey of transformation through an unforgettable experience blending inspired movement, poetry and spoken word stories.  She invites people to let go of identifying with their painful stories, to fall in love with themselves, and to embody their true essence with total acceptance and bliss.   Through her guidance, they learn to come into a deeper trust of themselves, tapping into their true inner feelings and intuitive knowing.  They experience increased confidence and start naturally shining and becoming magnetic to their deepest hearts desires, while standing fully and gracefully in their own power; able to move with more ease through challenges while maintaining their center, and experiencing more fun and magic in their lives as they allow life’s ups and downs to flow through them rather than knock them down!

She has been a featured performing artist, speaker and leader for movements such as "One Billion Rising" (to take a global stand to end violence against women and girls) and "100 Thousand Poets for Change," and her writing and poems have been published in magazines, journals and e-books , both online and print.


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Training
Erin received her early training in classical ballet at the Chico Creek Dance Center. She also attended the schools of the San Francisco, Houston, Boston, and Joffrey Ballets, as well as the Academy of Ballet in San Francisco. She also has extensive experience in jazz, modern and yoga, having studied at schools such as the Broadway Dance Center in New York City, the Alonzo King LINES Dance Center, and the Ruth Page School of Dance in Chicago.

Performance Experience
She has danced in San Francisco, New York, and Chicago as a Principal Dancer for companies such as Ballet Chicago, Labayen Dance/SF, Felice Lesser Dance Theater, and the Chicago Ballet. She has also performed for numerous independent choreographers in all three cities, including Yannis Adoniou, Robert Sund, Amy Wilkinson, Brian Carey Chung and Richard Pierlon. She was awarded an Honorable Mention in Dance from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts in 1994, and received two Annie’s Arts Awards for Outstanding Dance Performance in 1992 and 1994. In 1996 she performed at the Tanz Theater International Dance Festival in both Bonn and Bielefeld, Germany.

Choreographic Experience
Her choreography has been presented across the United States and Canada, by venues such as the Monterey Dance Festival, Counterpulse Theater, the Jon Sims Center, the Capitol Theatre, Collaboration! Dance and Music at the Cowell Theater, and Dance Chicago at the Athenaeum Theater. The Chico Community Ballet and the Alameda Civic Ballet have commissioned her as a guest artist and choreographer. She is the recipient of a CAAP Grant for choreography from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.

Teaching Experience
Erin has taught at schools including the Ruth Page School of Dance, the ODC School, Alameda Ballet Academy, Rhythm and Motion, the Chico Creek Dance Center, and Kirkpatrick’s School of Dance. She teaches ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, dance workout classes, movement as mediation and stretch classes. She has worked for Kids Take the Stage teaching and choreographing children’s musical theater productions. She also mentors aspiring professional dancers as a coach and private instructor.  Through her passionate, clear and encouraging teaching style, she provides students with a solid foundation of excellent technique, and empowers them to awaken to their greatest potential in dance and in life.  Her students have been accepted to such prestigious schools as Joffrey Midwest Dance, LINES Ballet School, the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, The Ailey School Professional Division, and InnerSpark (California State Summer School for the Arts), and the Toronto Dance Theatre Professional Division.  


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Testimonials
“Gifted in both choreography and performance skills...Parsley naturally drew the eye with her compelling stage presence...”
Heidi Landgraf, Voice of Dance

“I love dancing with you Erin – so much fun! Very effective in keeping both my body and brain in good order!  And you are an excellent teacher.”
Chelsea V.C.

Erin Parsley is one of the most entertaining, engaging dancers I know. She is able to throw so much emotion and dedication into everything she does.

As a teacher, she has the ability to know exactly what people need to improve on in their dancing, and in no time she can help them achieve remarkable progress.  Because of her I am now able to dance better then I ever imagined I could!”  
Nemia Darwel

“Erin has been an inspirational teacher for me, bringing to me the fundamental aspects of ballet technique and contemporary training. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with her, for it is unusual to find someone with such a high level of technical training. Over the years Erin has led me into the professional realms of dance by guiding me to understand the basic, yet crucial aspects of ballet technique. 
Her passion for dance translates seamlessly into her teaching, providing her students with a well-rounded understanding of the specific qualities within each movement. I appreciate her unconditional commitment to her students and ability to share her gift with those who wish to learn.” 
Elsa Neufeld-Cumming

“Abbie would love to be included in the next session - she loves it!  You are a fantastic teacher Erin!”  

Heidi S.

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