Meet our Director

I grew up in Dresden, Germany, where dance was part of daily life. The city’s rich dance history—shaped by pioneers like Gret Palucca, Mary Wigman, and William Forsythe—surrounded me with movement and creativity from a young age.

I started dancing at 5 and spent years performing, learning, and exploring across Europe. Two memories stand out: performing on a live televised production broadcast in three countries for a European Union celebration, and earning a runner-up title with the Silver Spirit dance team in Dortmund, which led us to represent Germany at the European Championships in Denmark. These are just glimpses of a lifetime immersed in dance.

After high school, I stayed connected to the studio where I trained, spending time behind the scenes and learning what goes on in and beyond the classroom. This time quietly shaped my understanding of dance and studios, and how dancers grow over time.

In undergrad in the U.S., I danced with the University of Southern Mississippi’s Dixie Darlings and minored in dance, while studying anthropology. I later continued my studies in anthropology, culminating in a PhD. Dance taught me presence, resilience, and teamwork—skills I carried into research and fieldwork from South Africa to Guatemala to the Ivory Coast.

Motherhood and the pandemic inspired a new vision: a space where children can grow creatively and confidently through movement. That dream became Elevate Motion Studio, where I combine knowledge of the human body, research, and the joy of dance to nurture every child.

See you at the studio!

Elise Geissler-Huesgen, PhD