MEET THE DIRECTOR:
Nina Madsen Puckett
RSME/T, CMA, LMT, BFA
Originally from New Jersey, Nina Madsen Puckett relocated to Oklahoma from Brooklyn, NY, in 2009. She is the founder and director of Madsen Movement—now a program of Oklahoma Performing Arts—and the proud owner of Madsen Massage, LLC. Nina also serves on the Creative Team for Oklahoma Movement, where she choreographs and teaches. As a Registered Somatic Movement Therapist and Educator (RSMT/E), she holds registration through ISMETA. Additionally, Nina is a Certified Movement Analyst, having completed her certification at the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies in NYC in 2006.
Nina graduated cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2005 with a BFA in Dance (Choreography and Performance). Her international studies included two semesters at prestigious conservatories: the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and the Theatre Academy of Finland (Teatterikorkeakoulu). In 2008, she furthered her clinical expertise with an Associate of Occupational Studies from the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences Massage Therapy Program in NYC.
As a dedicated mental health advocate, Nina founded Erase the Stigma Through Dance, which now serves as the advocacy arm of Oklahoma Movement. Originally established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the program fuses mental health education with dance through classes, events, and annual symposiums. In 2022, she produced "Changing Perceptions by Moving Minds: A Mental Health and Dance Symposium" at the Tulsa Ballet, featuring dance icon and Guggenheim Fellow Bill Evans.
A vocal advocate for the intersection of dance and metal health, Nina has appeared on various podcast and interview series, including the Delaware Dance Organization, The Dance Better Podcast, DIY Dancer in partnership with Okay Let’s Unpack This, and YouTube channel, “Move for a Movement.”
In a 2002 review of the American Dance Festival, dance critic, Byron Woods, wrote “the unforgettable flex of Ursula Payne’s student, Nina Madsen, reminiscent of Gretchen Lothrop’s work.”
Artist Statement
To dance is to move with intention, creating a bridge between our internal landscapes and our outer expression. I believe that movement and dance are synonymous—both are essential languages of the human experience. Because the majority of our communication is nonverbal, how we move reflects how we process the world.
My mission is to guide movers in cultivating a deeper mind-body connection that prioritizes nervous system regulation alongside physical function. By integrating Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) and Bartenieff Fundamentals with contemporary dance techniques, I empower individuals to become sensitive to their current habits and develop healthier, more resilient patterns. I seek to create a nurturing environment where movement investigation leads to personal discovery, allowing movers to evolve in the studio just as they do in life.
Core Values
1. Honoring movement and dance as an authentic expression of the evolving self.
2. Developing one's own unique, personal artistry through exploration and discovery.
3. Celebrating the individual's personal expansion.
4. Cultivating an empathetic community of movers in a positive, safe, nonjudgmental and nurturing environment.