Creativity, questioning, and groundedness…
INTERVIEW WITH Bodycraft’s Assistant Director toree wilson
You may know her as a Bare Bait Dance Company Member or have seen her teaching dance at your local dance studio, AND now we are thrilled to announce that Toree Wilson will be stepping into the role of BodyCraft’s Assistant Director.
Alongside BodyCraft Director, Rachel Oliver Young, Toree will be helping develop and teach Westside Theater’s newest youth program, BodyCraft: Youth ChoreoLAB. Through our conversation, we got to know more about Toree’s background, teaching values, and what is making her most excited about the development of BodyCraft at the Westside Theater.
US: Let’s start by talking a little bit about your background. You grew up in a rural community with a family dance studio, correct?
Toree Wilson: Yeah! I grew up in rural Iowa, and my mom owned a dance studio in the town next to our small town of 200 people. I started dancing when I was three because that’s just the thing you do when your mom owns a dance studio, but I didn't get really interested in dance until I was around 12 years old. When I got into high school, I was asked to be a student teacher, and so I assisted in many of the beginning youth classes.
During that time, I really realized that these little humans that I am surrounded by all the time have a voice. They wanted to tell me things because I was someone important in their life, and I think my love for teaching grew from that point.
I continued to teach throughout college and post-graduate, where I expanded into teaching movement classes in both public schools and at community centers. I think those experiences shaped me into the teacher that I am today.
US: What drew you to teaching young children?
Toree Wilson: Kids are a hoot! They're so creative.
I love being able to help structure young artists and show them that someone believes in them. It’s important to give them the tools to be creative, and whether they decide to continue dancing beyond the classroom, I feel that I’m teaching them valuable skills, whether that’s learning how to be able to give and receive feedback, or how to move and listen to their bodies. Anyone can benefit from having these skills!
US: BodyCraft focuses on teaching creative movement and choreographic tools to young artists. What value do you see in introducing those movement strategies at a young age?
Toree Wilson: For kids, any sort of aspect of play with movement is super fun for them. And so having them develop ways that they can channel that play into more structured movement style or an improvisational style is really cool to see.
Creative movement is an important tool to use in teaching kids how to understand and help guide their impulses. It can teach them how to trust themselves and the choices they make, both in expression and physicality.
For me, at a young age, I didn’t understand this or really have my own voice within my movement.
US: As a teacher who often teaches within a traditional dance studio setting, in what ways do you see BodyCraft complementing the training young dancers are already receiving?
Toree Wilson: BodyCraft is a really good supplement to kids' studio classes because it focuses on providing movement guidance rather than teaching codified technique. It is going to help dancers learn how to trust themselves.
I teach technique classes and will continue to because there is value in that, but the BodyCraft structure is choreography-based and more focused on giving students a voice, which is also important. It’s really good to have balance.
US: What are three values that you hold within your teaching?
Toree Wilson: Creativity, questioning, and groundedness. I always try to encourage my students to question things.
Another belief I try to teach my students is not to say the words “I can't…” when something might be difficult. It's okay to do hard things! I’m interested in figuring out a language we can use for ourselves, for our brains and our bodies to be able to approach movement positively. That's a big thing that I carry through all my classes, no matter the age.
We get to work together to figure things out, and I love seeing the growth when that happens. Their confidence blossoms!
US: As BodyCraft continues to grow, what are you most excited about for the future of the program? What is the benefit of having this program come out of the Westside Theater?
Toree Wilson: I'm super excited about the idea of kids from all backgrounds, all styles, all places coming together, and for us to be able to work in a space that is warm and open to all ideas.
Growing up in rural Iowa, I did not have a professional modern dance company to look up to. I didn't have the benefit of seeing anything close to home. So being at the Westside Theater is very special because these kiddos get to dance in the theater space where professionals dance each week, and Bare Bait Dance really encompasses the values that we are trying to nourish within this program.
BodyCraft is open to anyone who wants to be in the space and has a creative brain. Not just for the studio-trained dancer. I think this is something different that's missing within our community. There are so many amazing dance programs in Missoula, but this is a niche little outlet that we're going to unlock.
Learn more about BodyCraft: CLICK HERE Registration is open for both BodyCraft Summer Camp and Fall 2026 BodyCraft: Youth ChoreoLAB classes.