MEGAN IS ASTRAL ROSE
Megan graduated from MSU Denver with a bachelors of arts in Somatic and Cultural studies which is a multidisciplinary degree including sociology, anthropology, psychology, gender and women’s studies, and multiple forms of dance. She studied abroad in Accra, Ghana learning traditional West African dance and Afrobeat/fusion styles. Along with dance, she studied sociology, culture & development, context of development & underdevelopment, and African storytelling.
After graduating, Megan was inspired to pursue her graduate studies in New York at NYU School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, where she received a Masters of Arts in International Education. Her final course work was completed back in Accra, Ghana at the NYU campus there, where she produced a dance workshop called ‘Dancing Together’ in collaboration with dancers and musicians at the University of Ghana Legon. The workshop was centered around using dance to cultivate a space to challenge racist/biased societal narratives about Africa and Africans through the healing powers of dance, music, and community.
Hailing from the magical mountains of Colorado, Megan began dancing at a young age and has studied multiple disciplines of dance from ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop, belly dancing, heels, and beyond, which has helped her cultivate an eclectic style. Dancing has always been about more than performance for Megan and is deeply rooted in a spiritual connection with the Divine and adoration for music.
Her major dance influences include Katherine Dunham, Martha Graham, PIna Bausch, Ruth St. Dennis, Isadora Duncan, Bob Fosse, Toni Basil, Rosie Perez and beyond. Megan finds the deepest soul ignition when moving to musical genres soul, funk, R&B, jazz, rock, gospel, and classical, though her heart might be called to dance to whatever song cultivates a connection.
She is now in the process of building her own dance and art company, Astral Rose Dance & Movement to facilitate spaces of love, learning, joy, and healing. Her go-go troupe, the Astral Rose Joys, performs with a local Colorado band, The Pamlico Sound and is looking to expand their repertoire with other artists. She hosts monthly dance/movement classes and dreams of holding more studio space for guest teachers, workshops, and other Soul expanding offerings.
