For nearly 25 years, the author has driven the highways and back roads of Illinois, teaching dance to school children, leading family programs, performing lecture/demonstrations, and choreographing technically simple, conceptually complex pieces with and for young dancers. The author's home base is Champaign/Urbana (C/U), twin cities with a combined population of about 100,000. Their towns share a huge state university and a culturally rich, ethnically diverse population. C/U is a cosmopolitan community with cafes, restaurants, and nightlife, but it is also an island of sorts, surrounded by a sea of corn and soybeans. In this article, the author shares her experiences, responsibilities, and opportunities as a Teaching Artist working in a rural area.