Susan Barnard

Susan Barnard has been blessed to have studied with some truly great mentors. Among them are June Finch, Garth Fagan, Susannah Newman, Jumay Chu, Byron Suber, Peggy Hackney, Sondra Fraleigh, Paul Taylor company members, Ellen Kogan, Ford Evans, Bill Evans, and many others. She has collaborated with musicians namely Erik DeLuca and Greg Taylor, sculptor Andy Moerlein, Videographer Terry Harbin, and Sky Artist Steve Poleskie.

Since moving to Charlottesville in 2008, she has taken classes with Rose Beauchamp, Faith Levine, Cat Maguire, Anne Megibow, and Julia Vessey.

She received her MA and MFA in Choreography and Performance from SUNY University at Brockport and her CMA in the Laban/Bartenieff work from the Laban/Bartenieff Institute for Movement Studies (LBMS) in NYC. The latter has profoundly influenced how she observes, performs, and teaches movement, and provides the through line in her technique classes. She is also a RSME (Registered Somatic Movement Educator) and is developing a practice to deepen bodily connection and integration. She works with others individually and in small groups. Susan is an RN and brings a world of anatomy, physiology, kinesiology and science to her art form.

Susan has taught all levels of Modern, Ballet, and Jazz technique in addition to Dance History, LBMS, Improvisation, Performance Studies, and Artistic Direction for concerts on the college level, notably SUNY Brockport, Elmira College, Keuka College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Colby-Sawyer College, and UVa.

She performed with Firehouse Dance Company based in Ithaca NY, has been a master guest teacher at ACDFA, has had her choreography commissioned nationally, and has been a guest artist in residence throughout the USA.

Website: susanbarnarddance.com