Performer, teacher, and dance improvisation artist, Chris Aiken is internationally recognized for his work in dance improvisation and contact improvisation. His practice is shaped by a desire to connect poetic imagination with an ecological way of engaging through perception, intention, and action. This approach weaves together awareness and understanding of self, other beings, and the world around us, including history, culture, and human-made objects.
Today, his focus is on creating conditions where people feel empowered, more sensitive to one another, open to the unknown, and respectful of both people and the environment. Chris has performed and collaborated with many respected dance artists, including Angie Hauser, Kirstie Simson, Nancy Stark Smith, Peter Bingham, Andrew Harwood, Joerg Hassman, Ray Chung, and Steve Paxton. His work has also been influenced by years of practice in the Alexander Technique, Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis, ideokinesis, yoga, and myofascial bodywork and release technique. He earned his MFA from the University of Illinois and is currently a Professor of Dance at Smith College.