Michelle Erard is a dance artist trained extensively in non-western forms who advocates diversity in her teaching and creative practice. Her work focuses on the use of language, sound, somatic practices, and improvisation practices from dance and physical theater to bridge disparate styles of movement training. Erard has performed in works by Angie Hauser, Marilyn Sylla, Barbie Diewald, Rujeko Dumbutshena, Bill Walters, Tomaz Simatovic, Sonia Olla, Alejandro Granados, Diadie Bathily, and as a member of the University of New Mexico’s Department of Theatre and Dance Ensemble. Her work has been presented at Smith College, the University of New Mexico, Tricklock Company and venues in St. Louis, New Mexico, and Massachusetts. She earned her MFA in Choreography and Performance at Smith College and is earning certifications in Open Source Forms, a somatic movement practice created by Stephanie Skura that is based on Skinner Releasing Technique, and Action Theater, an improvisational physical theater training and performance method created by Ruth Zaporah.
