Faculty

Merly Cookson

Children's Division

Merly De la Hoz-Cookson, M.Ed. Dance Instructor and Choreographer Merly was born in Colombia, surrounded by festivities, parades, and folk celebrations that sparked her love for dance since she was four a year old. Her middle and high school focused on pedagogy which greatly influenced her decision to become a dance educator. She earned her degree in Dance and Theater Education from Universidad Antonio Nariño in 2000. and went on to advocate for bringing dance programs and arts integration into public school curricula, believing that moving from a young age contributes to a well-rounded education. Trained by Monica Lindo, Karry Orelup and Megan Boyd, Merly has performed in hundreds of dance showcases around the world. In 2014, she created Twinkle Toes, a preschool creative movement class loved by families across the state. Now she's bringing that same joy to Ekklesia's Children's Division, teaching Ballet and Creative Movement. Merly, draws on her background in social-emotional education, believing that kind, understanding, and consistent teaching is the recipe for a successful dance class. With fun songs, games, stories, and activities, body and brain development get nurtured and love for dance, exploration and self-expression, blossom.