“The choreographic process with Ms. Shoaf is something I have never experienced with any other choreographer. Most of my experiences are trying to keep up with learning the set choreography from a teacher, but never have I had a teacher with such passion and the ability to create from scratch with improvisation. Seeing this, experiencing this, and being a part of it was something I will hold in my heart forever. I will never forget working with Ms. Shoaf because I saw a different type of artist come out of me when I was dancing in her classes and her pieces. Seeing her movement and her energy when she was dancing was something truly special. Not only did I notice it in her, but I saw it in everyone else who was in the room. Everyone was laughing, clapping, hyping each other up, and grooving to the music, all because she brought this energy every single time we stepped into the room. W e would go in the hallways of our dorms and just move and create with one another, and in our dressing room, we just let everything go from her impact on us. Everything in us just soared.”

— Natalie Cervantez ( LINES Summer Program