What We Do

Kinesis Project dance theatre creates site specific dance performances and facilitates educational programs. The company produces large-scale, space-changing and unexpectedly intimate dances.

Kinesis Project, led by dancer/choreographer Melissa Riker, is at the forefront of the international discussion of placemaking, art engagement with diverse communities and the cultural imperative of art in public spaces.  

How We Do It

Kinesis Project dances are inspired by Riker’s questions about the world around us. Those questions are excavated and answered through a generative, collaborative process with the dancers and designers of Kinesis Project. As the work moves into a site, Riker focuses on the expanse, scope and depth of the environment. Dances then further evolve based on the site, resulting in unique and custom performances in each space that the company enters.

Aimed at democratizing contemporary dance for audiences at all ages and demographics, Kinesis Project injects movement and stillness into unusual and inspiring places, pushing the boundaries of how people see and interact with that space.

As an educational and outreach organization, Kinesis Project teaches dance and creative thinking in schools, leads non-dancers in community movement making activities, and brings dance into public spaces.

As a producing organization, Kinesis Project dance theatre founded Women in Motion, a platform to support female choreographers in New York City

Key Collaborators

Danielle Brock (Producing Advisor) is a curator and producer of public programs. Focused on bringing complex, creative projects to life, she has worked on a variety of interdisciplinary and community-based projects with Creative Time (Duke Riley’s Fly By Night, Sophie Calle’s Here Lie The Secrets Fly) and Kinesis Project dance theatre (Secrets and Seawalls, TimePiece, In Persistence of Memory). Danielle received her M.A. in Visual Arts Administration at New York University and presented her thesis, Participation: Whose Rules? at the 2017 Social Theory Politics, and the Arts conference. She currently serves as curatorial assistant at Art21, engaging her passion for bringing contemporary art to unique spaces and to a broader public.

Rebecca Kanach (costumes) (@costumegnome / rebeccakanach.com) is a Barrymore Award-winning costume designer. In New York, her work has been seen in at Lincoln Center, Ars Nova’s ANT Fest, La MaMa, The New Ohio, and Joe’s Pub. Regionally, her work has been seen at companies including The Arden Theatre Company, Walnut Street Theatre, The Wilma Theater, Opera Philadelphia, and Bristol Riverside Theatre. Academic work includes designs with Drexel University, Rutgers-Camden Campus, and Temple University. Rebecca is the co-founder and resident costume designer of The Bearded Ladies Cabaret, and a company member of Lightning Rod Special, whose performance of The Appointment was listed as one of the New York Times’ Best Theater of 2019. She is a MFA graduate from NYU Tisch.

Asa Thornton (costume advisor) designs costumes for opera, dance and theatre in New York City. He studied Fashion Design at Studio Bercot in Paris. Upon returning to the States Asa began to design extensively for theatre in Olympia, WA. Thornton relocated to New York in 2012 and was hired as a draper/pattern maker at Izquierdo Studios in Manhattan. While employed at Izquierdo Asa has had to opportunity to construct costumes for a wide range of productions. Some highlights include: Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball tour, Madonna’s MDNA tour, films such as 22 Jump Street, and Broadway Productions including Pippin and Book of Mormon. He has also worked as an independent designer for various music videos, and art performances. Recent collaborations include Carte Blanche Performance, The Red Bull Music festival, and International Brazilian Opera Company.

Jeremy Williams (Facilitator) creates and produces new theatre, dance and music projects. He is the Producing Director/Founder of Convergences Theatre Collective, a incubator for the research and development of new theatrical works. Current CTC productions include A Mexican Affair, Babel, Murrow, and The Woman Who Was Me (5 NY Innovative Theatre Award Nominations.) Williams is a director and choreographer in NYC and nationally. He works to support the field of performing arts through sharing practices of audience engagement and leading learning communities through Jeremy Williams Creative, LLC. He is currently a leader for the Building Demand for the Arts initiative, a program of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. He is a producer for the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art and The Dance Enthusiast. www.ConvergencesCollective.org

John Robinson  (Financial Advisor) has been on the board and advised ‎numerous arts organizations in both New York and Seattle. He is currently Treasurer and Chair of Finance at On the Boards, and has worked with or been on the board of Seattle Chamber Music Society, Emerald City Music, Zoe/Juniper Dance Co, Kinesis Project Dance Theater, Kate Wallich and the YC, Joanna Kotze, Dayna Hanson, Washington Ensemble Theater.... and many more arts and dance organizations in both Seattle and New York.

Jacqui Dugal (Company Manager/Stage Manager) has managed unique productions for NYC artists including m i c c a, 3AM Theatre, Mare Nostrum Elements. They are a NYC based Artist in dance performance, choreography, and handmade ceramics also offering Increasing Artist Capacity services in the form of administrative, consulting, and production support. Jacqui is a strategic problem solver with experience in non-profit arts administration including space operations, studio leasing, production management, program design and artist services from West Palm Beach, Florida with a BFA in Dance Performance and Entrepreneurship from The University of South Florida. Jacqui is the current Assistant Director for NuVu Dance Festival, EDI Council Member at Moulin Belle in France, and a Studio Assistant at Alterwork Studios in Astoria, Queens. They are excited to join Kinesis Project dance theatre as Company Manager this season.