Gwen Wojtkun is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and currently lives in Washington, DC. She attended Ohio State University, where she studied Public Relations and Nonprofit Management.

This is Gwen’s third year teaching at Dance Academy of Virginia. Before joining DAV, she taught at several dance studios and high schools in the Cleveland area, bringing experience working with dancers in a variety of settings.

As a performer, Gwen was a member of a collegiate dance team, an experience that helped shape her approach to teamwork, performance, and pushing beyond one’s comfort zone.

This year, Gwen will be teaching in the Academy and Youth Programs at the McLean location. In her classes, dancers can expect to challenge themselves and step outside of their comfort zones. Her advice for the year ahead is: Come to every class with a “let me try this” mindset, not an “I can’t do this” mindset. You don’t have to be perfect right away—I’d always rather see you try and fail than hear you say you can’t!