Colleen Thomas

Colleen Thomas is a 21’ Bessie nominated New York based choreographer and performing artist.  Her work as a choreographer and dancer has been presented internationally in Hong Kong, Estonia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, and Russia, and in New York at venues including Danspace Project, La MaMa Theater, DTW, Live Arts, The Miller Theater, Danny K. Playhouse, and  at the 92nd Street Y.  She has worked with renowned contemporary choreographers such as Nina Wiener Dance Company, Donald Byrd/The Group, Bebe Miller Dance Company, and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company among others.  In 2003, she founded Colleen Thomas Dance where she serves as artistic director, executive director, choreographer, and performer.  She is also co-director, choreographer, and performer with Bill Young/Colleen Thomas & Co, and the co-director and co-curator of the LIT (loft into theater) series at 100 Grand, which supports innovative and experimental work by both emerging and established artists in an up-close and personal setting. Her work as a choreographer and dancer has been presented throughout the United States as well as in Europe, Asia, and South America. Her recent research includes: a new work with artists from Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, and USA (premiered at La MaMa Theater in May 2019), a recent published scientific study looking at brain activity in contact improvisers (Goldman, A., Thomas, C., & Sajda, P. (2019). Contact improvisation dance practice predicts greater mu rhythm desynchronization during action observation. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, and light and desire a premiere in September 2021 at  Live Arts that looks at women artists during fascist times. She is a Professor of Professional Practice in Dance at Barnard College of Columbia University.