BIOGRAPHY
Shura Baryshnikov (she/her/hers) is a multimodal artist who works broadly as a dancer/actor/improviser, somatic movement educator, and a choreographer for projects across dance, theatre, and opera. Shura has co-founded a number of dance projects, including the Contact Improvisation Research and Performance Ensemble Set Go with dancers Paul Singh, Sarah Konner, Aaron Brandes, and Bradley Teal Ellis, and the Rhode Island-based contemporary dance project Doppelgänger Dance Collective with dancer/choreographer Danielle Davidson. She has also collaborated on projects with dancemakers Victoria L. Awkward, Gabriel Forestieri, Heidi Henderson, Betsy Miller, Ali Kenner Brodsky, and Lorraine Chapman, among others.
Recent choreographic and directorial work includes projects with Boston Lyric Opera, Emmanuel Music, Khambatta Dance Company, Urbanity Dance, Trinity Repertory Company, and Motion State Arts. In the 2022 - 2023 season, Shura continues development on an evening length duet for dancer and musician titled Two with cellist and composer Adrienne Taylor. This first iteration of this work was presented at the Bates Dance Festival in July, 2022.
Appointed to a full-time faculty position in 2017, Shura serves as Head of Physical Theatre for the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs in Acting and Directing / Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies at Brown University and maintains an active international teaching practice at festivals and training institutions. Ultimately interested in applications of practice in pedagogy, process, and performance, she employs work in the Viewpoints Technique, Safety Release Technique, Action Theater, and Contact Improvisation to create deeply-sensitized, collaborative spaces.
She is a member of Actors' Equity Association and the American Guild of Musical Artists.
FACULTY POSITIONS AND COURSES TAUGHT
2011-present BROWN UNIVERSITY, Head of Physical Theatre for the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs for Actors and Directors; Assistant Professor of the Practice, Department of Theatre Arts & Performance Studies
Embodied Creative Practice - 1Y MFA Actors and Directors
Contemporary Dance Studio Project / Technique and Repertory - Undergraduate
Intermediate / Advanced Contemporary Dance Technique - Undergraduate
The Viewpoints Technique - 1Y MFA Actors and Directors and Undergraduate (2 sections)
Tools for the Creation of Solo Performance - 2Y MFA Actors
Collaborative Devising and Ensemble Storytelling - 2Y MFA Actors and Directors
2020 -present Director of Graduate Studies: Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs
2017 NORTH KARELIA COLLEGE, Department of Dance; Outokumpu, Finland; Guest Instructor and Choreographer; Contact Improvisation
2016 CONNECTICUT COLLEGE; Adjunct Dance Faculty, Experimental Workshop: Introduction to Improvisation/Contact Improvisation (1 section)
2016 KEENE STATE COLLEGE; Guest Choreographer
2014-present MOSES BROWN SCHOOL; Dance Program Coordinator
2010-2015 FESTIVAL BALLET PROVIDENCE SCHOOL; Contemporary Dance Faculty
Pre-Modern through Advanced Contemporary Dance Technique
2013-2015 Summer Intensive Program, Contemporary Dance Faculty
2015 DEAN COLLEGE; Adjunct Dance Faculty, Intermediate Contemporary Technique (1 section)
2014 SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY; Guest Choreographer
2014-2015 MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY; Guest Instructor/Theatre; Viewpoints Technique
ONGOING ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION SITES:
Moving Target/Green Street Studios, JMW High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, School@95/AS220, Trinity Rep Young Actors Summer Institute, Earthdance/Moving Arts Lab, TheatreBridge|Brown University, Boston University Summer Theatre Institute, The Gamm Summer Intensive, Sophia Academy, Lincoln School, OM Kids Yoga Studio, The Movement Exchange, Motion Center, Catalyst Series and Deep Dance at The Dance Complex, Urbanity Dance, The Dragon's Egg. Contact Meets Contemporary Festival, Paris CI Gathering, School for Contemporary Dance and Thought, Loyola Marymount University, Rhode Island College, Interlochen Arts Academy, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, The Field Center