Ellsworth, Michelle

Research

research overview

Michelle Ellsworth is a dancer, choreographer, video maker, sculptor, writer, and cartoonist. Dance is her native language as an artist; however, she regularly produces work that combines these and other genres and media. Her work is consistently shaped by: 1) her fluency not only in movement, but also in text, computers, improvisation, drawing, and video, and 2) her curiosity about gender, objects, identity, ritual, and the embodied and problematic human condition.

keywords

Interdisciplinary artist, web artist, and performance dance artist

Publications

selected publications

chapter
- All Clytemnestra on the Western Front: A Techno Feminist Reconstruction of the Iliad 2010

Teaching

courses taught

DNCE 1000 - Beginning Contemporary Dance Technique
Primary Instructor - Fall 2024
Introduces students to the dynamic capabilities of the body as an articulate means of expression. Presents basic concepts and skills from contemporary dance forms that may include Afro-modern, floor work, inversion, classical modern and improvisation. Classwork develops efficient alignment, strength, flexibility, coordination, rhythm, dynamics and spatial awareness. No experience necessary. May be repeated up to 4 credit hours.
DNCE 4053 - Advanced Dance Composition
Primary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023 / Fall 2024
Focuses on deepening the artistic voice and engaging with other art forms. Students explore the integration of technology and collaboration in creative projects and continue to engage in an objective critical process of their own work and the work of others. Meets with DNCE 5053.
DNCE 4939 - Dance Internship
Primary Instructor - Summer 2022 / Spring 2023
Provides an opportunity for upper-division dance majors to serve apprenticeships in the community in work areas related to their major interests and career goals. Internships are available in areas such as arts administration, dance therapy, and technical production. May be repeated up to 3 total credit hours. Instructor consent rquired.
DNCE 5053 - Advanced Dance Composition
Primary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023 / Fall 2024
Meets wtih DNCE 4053.
DNCE 5056 - Graduate Teaching Seminar
Primary Instructor - Fall 2023
Examines practical, pedagogical, philosophical, and legal issues in current dance education. The goals and content of professional and recreational dance training are considered and strategies for effective teaching practice are discussed. Provides practice in practical application of theoretical material. All genres of dance may be utilized.

DNCE 5909 - Special Topics
Primary Instructor - Fall 2022
Explores topics and research in relation to areas such as technology, environment, teaching methods, performance, world dance, arts in society, and/or criticism that the normal sequence of offerings may not allow. May be repeated up to 7 total credit hours.Same as DNCE 2909 and DNCE 4909.

DNCE 6047 - Dance Studies
Primary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Spring 2023
Studies current dance trends, mostly in the United States, with particular attention paid to dance's intersection with philosophy, theory, technology, politics, current events and the other arts.

DNCE 6073 - Choreography
Primary Instructor - Spring 2018 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2024
Covers in-depth practical and theoretical approaches to dance composition for graduate students; solo and group forms; and analysis of historical and contemporary dance works. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours with different instructors.

DNCE 6969 - The Graduate Project
Primary Instructor - Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024 / Fall 2024
Provides the opportunity for synthesizing the graduate experience through the execution of a project related to the student's major area of interest. Project must be approved by the graduate faculty advisor.

IAWP 6200 - Intermedia Collaboratory
Primary Instructor - Spring 2018
Collaborative studio course in which students focus on emerging practices in intermediate art, writing and performance while collaboratively building art, writing and/or performance projects that are presented to the community as public events and programs including exhibitions, publications and performances.

THTR 4081 - Senior Seminar
Primary Instructor - Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
Intellectual and conceptual capstone course for departmental majors with separate sections for theatre and dance students. Course promotes integration of ideas regarding history, criticism, and theory in performance and production. All inquiry throughout the semester relates to the theme of creative process.

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Background

education and training

M.F.A., University of Colorado Boulder 2000
B.A., New York University 1990

awards and honors

Distinguished Professorship, conferred by University of Colorado President, 2020
Artist Award, conferred by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, 2019
MacDowell Fellowships, conferred by MacDowell Colony for the Arts, 2019
BFA Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarly and Creative Work, conferred by Boulder Faculty Assembly, 2017
Fellowship, conferred by John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, 2016

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International Activities

geographic focus

Europe Continent
France Country
Greece Country
Netherlands Country

VIVO

Positions

Research Areas