Jacklyn Kostichka

I am a Mexican-American from Green Bay, Wisconsin going to school at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for Dance and Psychology with a minor in Somatics. Living in Milwaukee has brought many opportunities for me to work in the Hispanic community. For example, I am a member of a Mexican folkloric dance company called, Ballet Folklorico Nacional of Milwaukee and I am looking forward to going to Chihuahua, Mexico next summer for two months to dance with a professional company down there for two months and to also fully immerse myself in the Mexican culture. I am currently teaching Mexican dance to elders at the United Community Center located in South Milwaukee.

Outside of dance, I work as a therapist at Wisconsin Early Autism Project (WEAP). In this program, I work one on one with a little kiddo with Autism Spectrum Disorder at their home to understand language, communicate with and relate to peers, build age appropriate and symbolic play skills and increase conceptual thinking and cognitive skills. Working with all of these programs, we hope to help the kid to graduate and most importantly have friends.

I have also been involved in undergraduate research since my first year in college. I worked in the Dance department for 1.5 years with the ongoing research on the Alexander Technique. This summer I started undergrad research in the Theatre department doing preliminary research on a project called "500 Years". This is about the history of Spain and the Spanish court in the 1500s to the Battle at the Alamo to being a Mexican-American in Milwaukee today. I have learned so much about my culture through this but have also seen how history can be put in an artistic form such as a play.

For graduate school, I look forward to getting my MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling.