10/05/2026
This summer, we had the joy of welcoming back former Texture Ballet School student Tyler Leach, now a dance student at Butler University, to return home and dance alongside the professional dancers of Texture Contemporary Ballet.
It was so special to see Tyler back in the studio and onstage with the company, continuing to grow as an artist and experience the company from a new perspective.
Read below to hear Tyler share more about his experience returning to Texture this summer. ⬇️
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to return home and work alongside the teachers and role models who helped me become the dancer and teacher I am today. It was refreshing to explore movement and artistry through the incredible choreography of Alan Obuzor, Madeline Kendall, and Deanna Stanton. I was welcomed home not only as a former student, but as a trusted professional, and was held to the same standards as the company dancers.
I was also fortunate to share my own experiences and expertise by teaching classes alongside my former teachers and fellow students. I hope that I was able to introduce new ideas and perspectives that encouraged students to think differently about their technique and approach to movement. I was especially excited to work with the next generation of aspiring male dancers and have the opportunity to be a role model for them, much like Alan was for me when I was a young male dancer beginning my own journey.
While I returned to Texture this summer as a more established dancer and teacher, I am most grateful for the opportunity to discover for myself what kind of professional and educator I want to become. Being back at Texture allowed me to reflect on the kind of dancer, teacher, and mentor I hope to be within both a company and a school. It was a meaningful experience to return to the place where so much of my own journey began and, in a way, give back to the community that helped shape me.”
📸: Rachel Nicole Harman
