Gretchen has danced since the age of 6. She spent most of her free time at the Patti Parrish School of Dance in Sapulpa, OK taking ballet, tap, jazz and pointe. Competing in pageants and numerous dance competitions throughout school, she became Miss Dance of Oklahoma in 1988. While attending college at the University of Oklahoma, she choreographed for the Miss OU Pageant and other dance productions. Since then, she has continued with her love of dance by teaching her students at South Tulsa Dance Company. Gretchen is the Assistant Director of the studio (2018 to present), a certified yoga instructor, and has been an instructor at STDC since 2005 teaching children and adults.