Michelle Bernier

Back to Faculty & Staff Directory Back to Department Page
Placeholder Faculty Staff Image
How to edit profiles >

Michelle Bernier

Lecturer of Dance

Theatre and Dance

I'm Teaching

Dance Technique: ​Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Modern/Contemporary
Introduction to Dance Techniques & Forms
Dance Appreciation
Dance Conditioning for Stress Relief
Dance History in a Global Context
Somatics and Injury Risk Reduction
Dance Film

Biography

Michelle Bernier is a professional dancer, dance educator, dance administrator, and dance filmmaker working across Colorado's front range. She has been teaching for over 20 years in many genres and contexts, including higher education, public education, private studios, professional companies, and older adult residences. She holds a BA in Philosophy summa cum laude from the University of Southern Maine, and an MFA in Dance Choreography and Performance from the University of Colorado Boulder, with dual focus in somatic studies and digital media. Bernier has served as Executive Director and Artistic Co-Director of Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema since 2015, and was recently honored with the inaugural Emerging Leader in Dance Award from The Dance Archive.

Research Interests

    somatic pedagogy, historically and culturally informed dance technique, screendance creation and curation, early Hollywood dance, philosophy of dance, social justice, climate change action, community engagement

Teaching Interests

    Michelle teaches various forms of dance technique and composition, with an additional focus on dance film and somatics. She believes teaching is about communicating effectively, finding ways to adapt the information to be useful to the student, and letting the learning process unfold unpretentiously and unabashedly. She respects students as decision-makers, and her utmost priority is to show that respect. Over time, this can develop into trust, which she believes is the cornerstone of a great learning environment.

Education

MFA in Dance Choreography and Performance

University of Colorado Boulder

BA in Philosophy

University of Southern Maine

Published Works