Katie Burks was an MA student of mine and I served as her advisor for her final academic project. As a token of her thanks and sharing her experience she wrote the following note. This is a story about how she discovered in herself a potential for leadership. It also taught me the ways in which demonstrating leadership can be part of co-creating positive lasting legacies in the people we work with and how they carry on that learning through their own work in the world.

“It simply isn’t enough for me to say thank you for encouraging me to stand up for what I fervently believe. For being a colossal reason that I was able to endure and prosper through one of the greatest things I’ve achieved to date. And mostly, for being a daring and badass human, researcher, dance educator, and maker, and one hell of a role model and influencer leaving me no choice but to continue with aspiration to be the same.”

Katie Burke, former MA student Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance