Bala Sarasvati, Jane Willson Professor in the Arts
Bala Sarasvati is a Certified Movement Analyst (CMA) specializing in the application of movement theory to dance training and performance. For the past decade, she has created interdisciplinary art incorporating technology and film with aerial and contemporary dance. She serves on the graduate faculty for Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, and has served on the faculty for the José Limón Dance Institute, the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies and Seattle Dance Centre. Her dance training approach has been presented at El Contro Laban 2002 and Global Laban 2008, both in Rio de Janeiro and at Laban Centre London, UK; and International Council Kinetography Laban, Trinity Laban, London and Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies, NYC. Bala has served as guest artist at numerous universities and intensive summer dance programs and choreographed more than 50 full-length dance pieces.
Her choreography has been shown throughout the U.S. and China, and in Brazil, Taiwan, France and Costa Rica. She has presented choreography at World Dance Alliance conferences in Brisbane, Australia and NYC; Seattle Bumbershoot Art Festivals, Seattle, WA; Piccolo Spoleto Festivals in Charleston, SC. In addition, Bala’s choreography was selected for the National Dance Association and National American College Dance Festival Association, held at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. She performed at two National Society for Literature and Science conferences. Shakti-The Force of Destiny, one of the many interactive computer and dance projects, was presented as a Cultural Olympiad Event during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Her dance for camera, Springbreak, was selected for the Quinto Festival International Video Danza ‘99, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
She has served on the board for the National American College Dance Festival Association 1995-2001, Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies, Board of Directors and Willson CHA Advisory Board. An original co-founder, she currently serves for the UGA Ideas for Creative Exploration (ICE) steering committee. Bala served as Head, Department of Dance at The University of Georgia 1998-1999 and 2000-2006.
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