Moving Forward Dallas was founded by Madison Hicks in 2017 with Kevin Pajarillaga. Moving Forward was created to nurture the thriving Dallas dance community. Moving Forward has grown beyond its home of Dallas and now nurtures dance communities all over America. Our Mission is to give participants an unforgettable, invaluable, and inspirational experience through the power of dance and art. We create a safe environment where students feel inspired and encouraged to push their creativity and physicality. We promote creation of new choreography. We strive to bring fresh current ideas and a lens into the ever-evolving dance world into the thriving Dallas community. Through workshops for dancers of all ages, outreach programs for children, and an educational podcast, Moving Forward actively brings communities together through the power of movement and art.
Testimonials
Every Moving Forward event fosters an encouraging environment that allows me to explore my artistry and deepen my understanding of my role as an artist. This event was no different! Troy pushed us to redefine the “rules” of dance by interpreting her instructions through our own lens. There was no right or wrong in her exploration with us! It was refreshing to work with this kind of philosophy for it opened my eyes to the importance of conscious choice. Thank you Moving Forward for bringing supportive, distinguished artists to the Dallas area for us to learn from! We are forever thankful for you❤️
-Elizabeth Shupe
“Moving Forward is so much more than I could ever imagine. The energy, the space, the talent.... It is a safe judgement free space where you can explore movement and collaborate with nothing holding you back. You are constantly being pushed outside of your comfort zone and you leave changed and wanting more. I am forever grateful for these events. They are filled with passion and a contagious creative energy. Madi and Kevin pour their heart and soul into these workshops that have been so beneficial in my training and growth as an artist. I am forever grateful”
-Madelyn Munz
“At Moving Forward I loved that I was surrounded by people who were so supportive as well as intelligent. Those three days encouraged me to dive deeper into my training and play more with my art. This intensive creates a safe space and encourages taking risks to find who you are as a dancer, which is what makes moving forward stand out from other intensives. I can’t wait for the next one!”
-Claire Jones.
"Whenever I come back home from school, I feel really lucky that I have the ability to participate in something like Moving Forward. Not only does it keep me very active, but it also fosters reflection and investigations. I get to further dive into old ideas, and learn new ones. (You can put in this next part or not..I know it’s specific) *Troys class was such an awakening for me. Certain things I had been struggling with were presented in a way that truly expanded my perspectives! Thank you Moving Forward for bringing in Troy and all of the incredible movers to teach us in the DFW community."
-Eleni loving
"Moving forward continues to be one of my favorite spaces that brings artists together to celebrate and workshop movement in a safe and collaborative environment. I am forever grateful for my time spent learning and growing at these events and for the beautiful studios and all the people that fill it. Madi and Kevin have created an amazing event that has been a highlight in my training. These workshops have been so beneficial for my growth and I take away so many new ideas from every event. I strongly recommend to anyone seeking advancement and expansion upon their vocabulary and knowledge of movement to participate in this incredible program!"
-Emma Weiss
“Moving Forward was such a refreshing way to start my year. I am so thankful for the safe, creative, compassionate environment, as it allowed me to fully delve into the work presented to me. Oftentimes I have trouble feeling comfortable in new environments and around new people, but this was definitely not the case with Moving Forward. This workshop allowed me to exercise both my body and my mind, and I left the three days feeling much more conscious and comfortable in my art. Thank you so much to Madi and Kevin for running such a great program and for caring so much about the students. Can’t wait for the next one!” -Rachel Bozalis