Cynthia Collier grew up in Salt Lake City in a family that enjoyed the performing arts. She studied philosophy, English, and music at Brigham Young University, and has taught music and theater in schools. Over the past 25 years she has been involved in writing and directing live productions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Savior of the World at the Conference Center Theater in Salt Lake City, and the Nauvoo and British pageants in Nauvoo, Illinois. She has served in the Church as a teacher, in various music callings, and in presidencies in wards and stakes. She most recently served with her husband as a branch minister at the University of Utah and Huntsman Hospitals in Salt Lake City. She is married to Eric Collier and is a mother and grandmother.
Amy Robinson graduated from Brigham Young University in Humanities and Modern dance, and was thrilled to be part of the BYU International Folk dance team and Modern Dance team. She believes her greatest educational opportunities came from touring with those companies to many amazing places including China, India, and Europe. This may be where she gained her nomadic spirit—she and her husband Nathan have moved 27 times in 20 years of marriage! In London, England, in 2013, Amy had the opportunity to create the choreography for the first British Pageant. It was a life-changing experience to see the miracles that came to the participants of that show and audience. In 2015, Amy enjoyed helping set the British pageant on the Nauvoo stage and returned to help family casts learn choreography for the pageants in 2022 and 2024. She considers it her dream job to “move with joy” with the casts in England and then Nauvoo.
Amy has also been part of the Arts in Education program in Utah through Tanner Dance, teaching dancers of all ages in elementary schools, and teaches folk dance at American Heritage School in Salt Lake City. Amy and Nathan are the parents of six children and her greatest joy is time spent with them—dancing in the kitchen and singing in the car—and serving in the Church, especially with youth and children.
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Highlights
This episode focuses on the leadership and organization behind the Nauvoo Pageant, highlighting the unique structure of the pageant, which features a rotating cast of family participants who rehearse for a week and perform the following week, allowing for a diverse range of individuals to engage in the production.
Cynthia and Amy emphasize the importance of creating a joyful and supportive environment for participants, many of whom arrive feeling nervous and unsure of their abilities. The leadership style of the pageant focuses on fostering a sense of community and collaboration, where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth rather than failures. They share inspiring stories of participants who have experienced personal miracles during their time in the pageant, illustrating the transformative power of faith and community. They also discuss the significance of teaching children and families to embrace the unpredictability of performances, highlighting the importance of love and acceptance in the rehearsal process.
As the conversation progresses, they share valuable leadership principles, such as the “good fruit principle,” which encourages individuals to focus on sharing positivity and blessings rather than complaints. This principle has been instrumental in creating a spirit of Zion among participants and volunteers. The episode concludes with practical advice for primary presidencies and leaders in church settings, emphasizing the need for patience, understanding, and a focus on the greater purpose of building relationships and fostering joy within the community.
07:29 – Guest Introductions: Amy Robinson
10:11 – Guest Introductions: Cynthia Collier
12:18 – Overview of Nauvoo Pageant Structure
15:14 – Leadership Principles in Pageant Operations
19:01 – The Role of Volunteers in the Pageant
20:31 – Pageant Presidency and Leadership Structure
22:21 – Engagement with Pageant Leadership
23:11 – Teaching Dance: “Moving with Joy”
26:47 – Creating a Joyful Environment in Rehearsals
31:03 – Miraculous Stories from the Nauvoo Pageant
35:22 – Advice for Primary Presidencies
40:03 – Keeping Ego in Check in Leadership
43:03 – The Importance of a Learning Mindset
47:18 – The Good Fruit Principle in Leadership
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