Meet Your Newest Teachers Seattle!

Alright Seattle, we’ve got two new teachers for you, coming in hot! We know you’re down for novelty, playfulness and rebellion in your regular weekly dose of Seattle Dance Church. We also know that new teachers Jackson Knappen (they/he) and Alissa Pegram (she/her) are ready to turn it out for you, each in their own delicious ways. Where Jackson is a classic libra child (think bouncing curls, glittering eyes, perfect band tees and throwback faded-glam headshots) , Alissa is scorpio magic (think stompy boots, dark colors, deep feels, big love). Both these gems are about to bring some serious sparkle, and we can’t wait to see it all explode in a mucky glitter bomb of energy, sweat, joy and personality. 

Seattle loves and knows Dance Church so well that many of our folks up here have likely spent almost as much time sweating on studio floors as each of you have! 😂So let’s actually start with a journey away from the dance floor: got any passions or projects outside of dance?

A: I love to bring community together. I have done this in my Pilates work. I have a following at the studio of people who have taken classes with me for years. My tik tok (@alissasmagic) is also a place where I have developed and am still developing community. I create and post recipes on the platform and that’s a huge passion of mine! I always want to keep learning and diversifying my understanding of what it means to be a community leader.

J: I love art, nature, philosophy, spirituality, anything that lets me connect with others on a deeper level is very uplifting for me. A lot of the work I do outside of dance has to do with connecting people and ideas so spaces where that gets to happen are very exciting. In true Libra fashion (Sun and Mercury if you’d like to know) I like to balance all this heady stuff with a lot of laughter and heart, so I promise to show you some crazy memes and let you hang out with my cat while we contemplate the meaning of life.

Okay, I happen to know that you’re both adoring cat parents…

J: Merlin is the prettiest and the bravest and I’m honored to be pestered by him day and night.

A: Absolutely OBSESSED with my cat Mochi. He is my little familiar. We are soulmates. 

For real though, cat love is big love. Not too dissimilar from community love, actually. 

J: You are onto something there, when you are caretaking you are paying attention and dialing into something’s specific needs. I think of community building firstly as a task of being fully present and available to the individuals with whom I am sharing space. 

A: I love getting to know peoples’ stories. Making them feel welcomed and heard. I build community by stepping into new spaces and meeting new people. I love fostering environments where letting go, joy, and laughter are encouraged. 

What do you hope to bring to the existing Seattle Dance Church community?

A: My goal is to create a safe and welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable and confident in their bodies. I have always been very interested in leading with my core values and what aligns with me energetically. I feel when you're tapped into yourself and what serves you as a person, you're able to give that to others. I’m also going to choose movements that encourage self exploration and playfulness. We will have funnnn

J: I hope to offer something that feels moving and meaningful to the vibrant community that Dance Church already fosters, and to share the liberation of embodiment with anyone who is seeking to reconnect to the experience of joy in their system. 

Dance Church is definitely a space where “teaching” is mostly a project of community activation. The people love to dance! What do you love about teaching?

J: I love getting to watch people show up for themselves and their communities, and connecting to a love of life itself. Dancing with community is a powerful way to honor life, and connect to gratitude that transcends circumstance. For me, Dance Church is all about tapping into a sense of vitality that stems from the very fact that we are living, breathing, and moving beings. 

As a teacher I most value freedom, autonomy, and curiosity and hope to cultivate a spirit of liberation in myself and students.

A: What I love about teaching is sharing my expression and passion for the body through movement. I love being able to show up and spill whatever is present emotionally/energetically through our bodies. Dancing (to my favorite music) is my very favorite expression and I love honoring that and giving space for others to do the same!

We’d love to get a feel for your class vibes, so we can get hyped! Can you share either a couple songs – or – a meme or a recipe that encapsulates your Dance Church energy?

A: KYLIE MINOGUE AND MADONNA FOREVER with a little twist of synthy darkwave yummy. Can’t Get Blue Monday Out of My Head by Kylie Minogue and I Met the Beast by Martin Dupont J: Here Comes The Rain Again by The Eurythmics and Cleo by Shygirl. Just for fun, I’ll share a meme too 😉(this will be us): 

Lol, the party’s already started. When’s your first class? 

A: Dance and prance with me this week on Wednesday 9/18!! → sign up

J: And then three days later with me on Saturday 9/21→ sign up