Robin Stuyverson’s family moved frequently during her childhood and though she faced inconsistencies, dance became the thread of continuity in her life. Her mother wisely enrolled her in dance classes when she was 4 years old and from then on, Stuyverson was involved in dance. “It has been a pivotal thing in my life that kept me grounded as I moved and gave me a community that I could be part of wherever I went,” she said. 
 
Though a hip injury derailed her dream of studying dance in college, it seems she was destined to find a different path. In 1975 while attending FSU, she was “introduced to the idea of doing dance in church which I had never heard of before and that’s how I grew in using dance as an expression of faith.” She has turned that revelation into a career and for the past 20 years has taught dance locally at Wildwood Ballet, a ministry of Wildwood Church. 
 
As the founder and director, she has worked with hundreds of young dancers and she’s quick to point out that “98% of our students come from outside of this church family. Though some of our students are here because we’re faith based, they’re kids so I’m just wanting them to enjoy who they are as themselves and try to hold on to that.”

Stuyverson has built an environment where all are accepted and while students are working on technical ability, the emphasis at Wildwood is more about expression, collaboration and inclusion. “I’ve noticed that students who get too much in the mindset of perfection, and ballet just breeds that, they become real closed up. I went down that route where perfectionism became my standard,” Stuyverson confessed. “I’ve seen what that does versus an environment where students can just feel free to be who they are.” 

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