Meet Your New Teachers Atlanta

SEP 5, 2024

We love it when great things grow organically with love and collective investment. Amelia deftly launched the Atlanta Dance Church ride back in May 2023, and the community has SHOWED UP. Now we’re elevating that sweet, sweaty investment with two incredible new teachers, guides and humans: Dance Church Atlanta, meet Amber Lux Archer (she/they) and Erik Thurmond (he/him). Amber and Erik are descending into the ATL DC scene with big love, rich weirdness, and sincere and long-standing relationships with all things Dance Church. We can’t wait for you to meet them both.


Okay okay, so we know you both know and love Dance Church. Tell us more about your histories with this strange and beautiful thing.

Erik: I have known and loved Dance Church for years! I got to take class a few times in New York when I lived there and have been attending regularly since Amelia brought it to Atlanta! For my birthday this year I invited friends to Dance Church. It was so special to move and sweat with so many people that I love!

Amber: I took my first Dance Church class back in 2018, in Portland, Oregon and absolutely loved the freedom it offered its class takers. In 2023, eager to share the love of movement with others, I launched Dance Church classes in Palm Springs and Yucca Valley, California. It was definitely a bit of a challenge trying to build momentum in the rural vastness of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts but I built a small little community of dance lovers and each class was super special. I really got to know everyone on a more personal level and made some life time friends. 


Seems like you’ve both been living the artist life: traveling and living all over the country, in search of the right job, community, inspiration…. What brings you to Atlanta?

Amber: I was actually born and raised in and around the metro Atlanta area. So I went to school here from pre-K throughout college. Alongside my dance training with the Atlanta Ballet I was also a part of Jack and Jill INC, a nationwide organization geared towards building community within the Black community as well as serving communities around the Atlanta area. Interested in other areas of art, I spent some time at Savannah College of Art and Design and then Georgia State University, majoring in Biology with a Chemistry minor. .After six years living out West, I’m so happy to be back in the city that built me, nurtured me, and gave me the confidence I need to leave and all the support in wanting to return. 

Erik: I am also originally from Atlanta and landed back here when the pandemic hit. The space, time, and resources that I have access to here create the ideal conditions for me to develop my work. I am deeply shaped by my educational and professional experiences in and around New York City and am privileged to have continued access to that community while benefiting from the do-it-yourself spirit I feel here in Atlanta. 


So you’re making art (and life) in this community now. What’s that look like for each of you?

Erik: I have been dancing since I can remember. While I push myself to expand the tools through which I use to express myself, my primary creative language is movement. People sometimes ask if I still dance to which I answer: everyday! Now I channel my love of performance into my pop music project, Pasquale. By taking on the role of a pop subject not only do I get to dance but I get to craft music, lyrics, images, and videos to share my perspective. I love getting to be my own creative director for such a multi-faceted project and am honored to have my debut album being released by DKA Records this fall. 

Amber: I am also evolving and diversifying as a performing artist, mostly into the acting world. Though of course I’m always a dancer first and foremost, in heart and spirit. In the past I danced with Atlanta Ballet, Fly on a Wall, Staibdance, Ballethnic Dance Company, Ballet Memphis, Nashville Ballet, Columbia City Ballet, Netflix, and in several independent projects. My focus back then was very much on my dance career and networking within the industry. Now as more of a dancer and actor I really enjoy the empowerment of actually using my voice to tell stories. Now I get to cry, scream, laugh, and sing. Stepping into the lives of characters with complex emotions is such a vulnerable exchange with anyone moved by the experience and I live for that. 


Of course, community is a huge part of the puzzle for any artist (or human). What does the Dance Church community mean to you?

Amber: I am naturally curious about people and want to go DEEP quickly. I have learned to do small talk, but truthfully, I would rather skip this step and ask the questions that invite vulnerability, sensitivity, and truth. Therefore, community is built through a common desire for connection, compassion, and trust. With Dance Church I hope to connect with fellow rebels, weirdos, and the misunderstood---a kaleidoscopic collective of people seeking to reclaim their humanity, break down walls both real and imagined. And having understood life's precious gift, relinquish all fear we dance, dance, dance some more. 

Erik: I focus on creating spaces and practices grounded in curiosity, generosity, and open communication. My work with Dance Church aims to reach diverse communities by prioritizing inclusivity and accessibility. I strive to create and lead experiences that enable individuals to connect deeply with themselves, one another, and a sense of something greater through the transformative power of dance. By embracing the diverse energies and perspectives within the room, we create a dynamic and ever-evolving practice that resonates beyond the dance floor, inspiring growth in every aspect of our lives.


Okay, you esoteric artist peoples. We love the big picture of “rebels, weirdos, and the misunderstood,” we love access, we love inclusion. But what does being in class with you actually feel like?

Amber: I find immense pleasure in seeing others laughing, smiling, and authentically enjoying themselves. I am serious about being silly and love to play and look forward to bringing my playfulness to the Atlanta Dance Church classes. 

Erik: One thing I love about teaching is how it transforms me as much as it transforms the students. In every Dance Church class, I experience this transformation firsthand as we create a shared space of exploration and connection. As we move together, the boundaries between teacher and student blur, and we all learn from one another. This mutual transformation encourages me to approach each class with openness and humility, allowing the unexpected moments of connection and insight to guide our journey. 


Okay, when are you both teaching? 

Aamber: I’m up first! Catch my class (first of many) on Thursday September 12th → register!

Erik: Then dance with me the next week, on Thursday, September 19th → sign up!


And (we love this teaser) give us a taste of your music vibe on the dance floor!

Amber: Alright by Victoria Monét // Sunshine by Kelly Lee Owens 

Erik: Lady Science - NYC Sunrise by Soul Capsule // Take Me I’m Yours (Club Version) by Mary Clark

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