Conversation w/ Ann Cooper Albright about Improvisation, Contact Improvisation, & Scholarly Inquiry

Ann Cooper Albright Interview: Guggenheim Fellow on Simone Forti & Contact Improvisation | act/re/act Podcast

Oberlin Dance Chair | Guggenheim Fellow | Contact Improvisation Expert | Dance Scholar**

Join Oberlin College Dance Department Chair Ann Cooper Albright, 2019-2020 Guggenheim Fellow, in this illuminating conversation about improvisation, dance scholarship, and her latest book *Simone Forti: improvising a life. Following her inspiring UW-Milwaukee residency, host Daniel Burkholder explores how improvisation informs all aspects of Albright's multifaceted career as dancer, scholar, teacher, choreographer, and improviser.

## Featured Scholar: Ann Cooper Albright Bio Highlights

Ann Cooper Albright is a distinguished dancer, scholar, and Professor/Chair of the Dance Department at Oberlin College. With degrees from Bryn Mawr College, Temple University (MFA Dance), and New York University (PhD Performance Studies), she bridges academic rigor with embodied practice.

Major Recognition & Fellowships:
2019-2020 John Simon Guggenheim Fellow
NEA, NEH, and ACLS grant recipient
Jerome Foundation and Ohio Arts Council supported artist
Oberlin College Department Chair - Dance Studies

Essential Publications (among others):
"Simone Forti: improvising a life"** (latest book, 2025)
"How to Land: finding ground in an unstable world"** - Contemporary uncertainty guide
"Engaging Bodies: The Politics and Poetics of Corporeality"**
"Choreographing Difference: the Body and Identity in Contemporary Dance"**
"Moving History/Dancing Cultures"** (co-editor with Ann Dils)
"Taken by Surprise: Improvisation in Dance and Mind"** (co-editor with David Gere)
"Encounters with Contact Improvisation"**
Resistance and Support: Contact Improvisation @ 50"** (forthcoming)

Conversation Highlights:
Simone Forti biography insights** - Legendary improvisation pioneer
Contact Improvisation mastery** - 50+ years of practice and teaching
Academic dance scholarship** - Bridging theory and embodied practice
UW-Milwaukee residency** - Teaching philosophy and student inspiration
Improvisation methodology** - How spontaneity informs all artistic work
Dance literacy education** - "Accelerated Motion" NEA project
"Girls in Motion" program** - Award-winning middle school dance initiative
Critical Mass facilitation** - Contact Improvisation @ 50 leadership

This comprehensive conversation reveals how Ann approaches improvisation as both artistic practice and scholarly inquiry. From her groundbreaking Simone Forti biography to her leadership in Contact Improvisation's 50th anniversary celebrations, discover how Albright has shaped contemporary dance education and scholarship.

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Learn More:
act/re/act Podcast Archive: https://www.danielburkholder.com/actreact-podcast
Ann Cooper Albright's Books: Available through academic publishers

Keywords: #AnnCooperAlbright #GuggenheimFellow #OberlandCollegeDance #ContactImprovisation #SimoneForti #UWMilwaukee #DanceScholarship #MovingHistoryDancingCultures #GirlsInMotion #CriticalMass #NEAGrant #PhDPerformanceStudies #ActReActPodcast