Teacher Bios
Maureen Atkins
Maureen discovered the Bay Area Circle Dancers in 1993. In 1995 she began teaching dance with her friend Stefanie Free. Over the years since discovering dance a great many changes started to happen in her life:
In 2004 she decided to return to college. Having always wanted to get a college degree, she decided to “go for it” and get a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies. When she learned that she needed to take more electives, she chose do to have a concentration in dance which was inspired by the idea of “Follow your Bliss” from a Joseph Campbell documentary. It was in a theater class when she led Meditation on a Vertical Axis that she realized the healing properties of Sacred Circle Dance.
In 2007 she graduated from Cal State East Bay in Hayward California and transferred to John F Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, California to pursue a masters degree in counseling psychology with a specialization in somatic psychology. As part of her master’s thesis she led a weekly dance group for a women’s residential program for women with drug addictions.
In 2010 Maureen graduated and in 2019 got her license as a marriage and family therapist.
Over the years as she developed academically and changed careers, Sacred Circle Dance was always a part of her life. Concurrently Maureen worked in the field of substance use disorders changing her career from being a phlebotomist at a methadone clinic to becoming a counselor. Maureen became one of the Bay Area Circle Dancers, teachers in 2000. In 2008 she started her own group in San Leandro. In January 2022 she started a group in Ben Lomond and plans to start another group in Santa Cruz in June, 2022. She been involved with the Bay Area Circle Dancers dance camps and special events. She has organized dance retreats and has been invited to collaborate in other venues, i.e. schools, churches and other local groups.
She currently counsels clients at a local methadone clinic and has led dance groups for the agency’s residential program with positive feedback from the residents. “I see Circle Dance as a great option for those dealing with addiction as well as other psychological issues”
Maureen is one of the contributing teachers in Stefan Freedman’s book Dance Wise, 2020. In the spring of 2020 she was interviewed for Stefan’s project Dancewise, which shows how movement arts, especially dance and music can help with trauma release.
“In light of the current world situation I see much potential in offering Circle Dance as a way to feel better and help people have healthy relationships. I am extremely grateful to all of the dance teachers and others, too numerous to name, who have taught and inspired me along the way!”
Maureen lives in Ben Lomond, California, a small town in the redwoods and works in nearby Santa Cruz. She has family in Santa Cruz and many wonderful neighbors and friends as well as people in the San Francisco East Bay that are near and dear to her heart.
In 2004 she decided to return to college. Having always wanted to get a college degree, she decided to “go for it” and get a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies. When she learned that she needed to take more electives, she chose do to have a concentration in dance which was inspired by the idea of “Follow your Bliss” from a Joseph Campbell documentary. It was in a theater class when she led Meditation on a Vertical Axis that she realized the healing properties of Sacred Circle Dance.
In 2007 she graduated from Cal State East Bay in Hayward California and transferred to John F Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, California to pursue a masters degree in counseling psychology with a specialization in somatic psychology. As part of her master’s thesis she led a weekly dance group for a women’s residential program for women with drug addictions.
In 2010 Maureen graduated and in 2019 got her license as a marriage and family therapist.
Over the years as she developed academically and changed careers, Sacred Circle Dance was always a part of her life. Concurrently Maureen worked in the field of substance use disorders changing her career from being a phlebotomist at a methadone clinic to becoming a counselor. Maureen became one of the Bay Area Circle Dancers, teachers in 2000. In 2008 she started her own group in San Leandro. In January 2022 she started a group in Ben Lomond and plans to start another group in Santa Cruz in June, 2022. She been involved with the Bay Area Circle Dancers dance camps and special events. She has organized dance retreats and has been invited to collaborate in other venues, i.e. schools, churches and other local groups.
She currently counsels clients at a local methadone clinic and has led dance groups for the agency’s residential program with positive feedback from the residents. “I see Circle Dance as a great option for those dealing with addiction as well as other psychological issues”
Maureen is one of the contributing teachers in Stefan Freedman’s book Dance Wise, 2020. In the spring of 2020 she was interviewed for Stefan’s project Dancewise, which shows how movement arts, especially dance and music can help with trauma release.
“In light of the current world situation I see much potential in offering Circle Dance as a way to feel better and help people have healthy relationships. I am extremely grateful to all of the dance teachers and others, too numerous to name, who have taught and inspired me along the way!”
Maureen lives in Ben Lomond, California, a small town in the redwoods and works in nearby Santa Cruz. She has family in Santa Cruz and many wonderful neighbors and friends as well as people in the San Francisco East Bay that are near and dear to her heart.
