Meet the Founder

Leslie Kimiko Ward is a former professional ballet dancer turned teaching artist and thought leader in the field of education. She has 35 years of professional teaching experience working with students from aged 3 to 93,

Leslie began teaching in private dance studios at the age of 15. Seeking to work with a more diverse student population, at 19 she began participating in outreach in public schools, in K-12 schools from Columbus, OH to Anchorage, AK, as well as inside Yup’ik, Inupiaq, and Athabascan tribal villages.

20 years ago she began coaching educators to incorporate movement into lesson planning for increased success. Partnering with regional arts organizations and federal organizations like the Kennedy Center, Leslie created and delivered accredited professional development in movement-based learning.

Leslie also spent 10 years on faculty with the University of Alaska Anchorage, in the Department of Theater and Dance, co-directing the university dance company and teaching a full course load. In addition, Leslie created and taught coursework regarding the transformative role of movement in elementary education.

In 2016, Leslie partnered with rural education researcher Dr. Jesse Longhurst, to examine the efficacy of 1000 Cranes’ strategies to improve student outcomes. The peer-reviewed study affirming the affects of the work was presented at the American Education Research Association’s (AERA) Annual Conference in 2017.

Leslie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance from The Ohio State University and a Masters in Teaching (MAT) from Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling. She is licensed to teach K-12 in Oregon and Washington, with multiple endorsements and certifications.*

9 years ago, Leslie began teaching full time in the gen-ed classroom in a wide variety of K-12 public schools. From inner city Title 1 behavioral schools to remote Alaska Native village schools to suburban middle class schools, Leslie continues to leverage her skills and expertise to support historically marginalized learners and communities.

Leslie’s work centers radical inclusion, Indigenous knowledge, disability justice, and humanity-based practices that expand access, increase belonging, and compound success for all learners. 

*Endorsements: Elementary Education, English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Dance, and Physical Education. Professional certifications: Science of Reading early literacy program, the Orton Gillingham Method for dyslexia intervention + numerous smaller certifications, such as the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde elementary curriculum certification.