Kelly Ashton Todd

Kelly Ashton Todd is a director, choreographer, performing artist, and environmental activist who makes work for both live theater and film. Her work explores land and human exploitation, environmental politics, and surrealism. She received a Master’s in Sustainability Leadership from Arizona State University in 2021 and graduated from the William Esper Acting Studio in 2022. Kelly performed with the off-Broadway show Sleep No More from 2015-2022.

Kelly’s creations have been showcased globally at the United Nations, 92nd St Y, Pioneer Works, Usine C, and Meow Wolf Santa Fe. She has been awarded numerous grants, fellowships, and residencies such as NYFA Fellowship in Choreography, Emerging Choreographer for Springboard Danse Montreal 2022, and the Baryshnikov Artist Residency in 2023. Her award-winning environmental dance film series, Under Review, has attended over 20 film festivals nationally and internationally.

Class Description: In this class, we use a psychophysical approach to movement to change the dancer's relationship to time, space, ensemble, and audience. Deeply inspired by years of working in physical theater, film, and immersive theatre, we will work with ensemble-based exercises, character exploration, and ensemble improvisation. The dancers will be exploring techniques based on Michael Chekhov’s, Sanford Meisner's, and Jacques Lecoq’s schools of thought. I use exercises that help form trust with partners, the director, and ourselves. A highly physical class that will ask the dancer/actor to be vulnerable and explorative.

IG: @kellyashtontodd