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Meet Elyse Kassa
She is a multidisciplinary movement artist based in Columbus, Ohio. Her dance practice draws from contemporary dance technique, somatic intuition, and playful improvisation. She loves rolling on the floor, diving into the floor, laying on the floor, and falling on the floor. Most of all, she loves to take up space, moving with speed and ferocity– in and out of the floor.
Elyse began dancing at age 2 and set her sights on a professional career at age 14. While attending the Northfield Mount Hermon School (NMH), she was introduced to Laban and Horton Techniques, as well as Bartenieff Fundamentals. She began choreographing original works for the NMH Dance Concerts in her sophomore year and continued to premiere new works in every concert up until her graduation. During her time at NMH, Elyse had the privilege of attending and performing in the National High School Dance Festival. She received the NMH Dance Prize her junior and senior year and was a member of the National Dance Arts Honors Society.
Elyse then went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from Ohio University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance: Performance & Choreography; Minor in English; and Certificate in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies. Elyse received multiple awards and scholarships, including the Shirley Wimmer Award and the OHIO Fine Arts Talent Award for four consecutive years. Elyse continued to produce new and original works to showcase in student concerts. During her first and second years, Elyse was invited to attend and perform in the American College Dance Association's East-Central Festival. During her time at Ohio University, worked closely with professors Nathan Andary, Benny Simon, Teresa Randall, and performed as a featured soloist in guest artist Alexandra Beller's The journey here was as long as it was wide, but taller.
Elyse continues to train professionally, traveling for festivals and intensives in various cities such as New York City (David Dorfman Dance Winter Intensive), Nashville (New Dialect Summer Intensive), and Berlin (b12 summer festival), and continuing to take any and all open classes available.
Now, Elyse's choreographic process is built on a foundation of contemporary dance, accessorizing and redecorating with improvisation, text, comedy, and (normally) at least one prop. With varying degrees of seriousness and virtuosity, Elyse’s work explores how physical spaces and boundaries mitigate our interactions with ourselves and one another. Her professional solo and collaborative creations have been selected for performance at the Blockfort Gallery, Synergy Dance Series, Columbus City Dance Showcase, Cleveland Dance Festival, and the East-Central ACDA Gala Concert.
Elyse is deeply passionate about uplifting her dance community– both regionally and globally. She serves as the Studio Manager and member of the Teaching Staff at Flux Flow Dance Center, volunteers as an administrative assistant for Columbus Community Dance Class, and is part of the Columbus Dance Alliance Leadership Team. She is a member of Lp & dancers, a project-based company directed by Laura Patterson.
In 2024, Elyse created all our friends, a fluid collective of movement artists who work joyfully and collaboratively to make engaging works of dance theatre. all our friends are currently in process, creating a new evening-length work set to premier in September 2025.
bio: About
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