Karen Bernard

Karen Bernard, Executive and Artistic Director, began studying dance at age three with her father, Steven Bernard, a company member with 20th century pioneer, Charles Weidman. She grew up in a household which incorporated her father’s dance school, with students crossing through the family space, deeply ingrained performance throughout her life. As an artist and the Founder and Director of New Dance Alliance (NDA), she teaches, lectures and serves on advisory panels across the U.S., Canada and Europe. This cross-pollination strengthens an ongoing social dialogue among international artists. That commitment is fully brought to life in NDA’s justly-renowned Performance Mix Festival.

In 1986 following the renovation of a living loft, dance studio and working office space in Tribeca, New York City, Bernard began to develop programs to service the experimental and interdisciplinary dance community. Currently NDA offers two residencies, Black Artists Space to Create and Liftoff, as well as, Satellite, free rehearsal space; Worksessions, Karen Bernard/Projects and its signature program the Performance Mix Festival. Bernard received a BAX 10 award for her invaluable service to artists in the founding and development of the Performance Mix Festival.

As an artist Bernard’s work has been presented multiple times at The Kitchen in NYC and internationally, and received support through residencies including the Bogliasco Foundation, Emily Harvey Foundation, Chashama and Movement Research Artist Residency. She served as a Board Member of Earthdance and was a co-founder of Earthdance E|MERGE Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Residency Program.

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