Kelsey Kiernan

Kelsey is a Denver native and has been engaged independently in social justice since the time she was middle school. When she was just 18 she toured with Up With People in 2009 as a dancer and community advocate for building bridges of understanding between other cultures and beliefs, alongside 150 students from 22 countries. They went around the USA, Mexico, and Europe for 6 months. Following that, she was a company member for Ascential Dance Theater for 10 years where she was a part of establishing Acential Language Arts School (ALAS Teaching ESL through Dance) in Nicaragua in 2016. This was the catalyst experience for Kelsey’s passion to bring the healing power of dance to more people.

For the last 10 years, she has been able to work in many dance studios and outreach and non- profit organizations within the Denver Metro area. Kelsey earned her BA in Dance with an emphasis on Social Change from Metropolitan State University in 2022. She has been fascinated by the practices of Somatic Movement Therapy and continues to build a community of students who are learning how to use movement for healing. Behind the scenes at every turn, Kelsey has been putting together her ideas into action in small but impactful ways. Leading classes and impromptu pop-ups and searching for a place to have her work and vision established long term.

With over 15 years of unique experience, she has been curating a sisterhood community that focuses on addressing healing and emotional health for SA survivors through dance. She calls her work S.O.U.L.S. Project. She is thrilled to be of the Sakala Stewardship council as a Story Keeper. The vision to be a part of a continuously developing community about our collective healing is incredibly aligned & meaningful to her own vision for life and purpose.