John Adams
John Adams is, among other things, a transdisciplinary academic, structural bodyworker (Rolfer), facilitator of an interpersonal meditation practice (authentic relating/circling), IFS-based coach, and breath therapy practitioner. He’s taught contact improv across Texas, including for Texas A&M University’s dance program. He has a BS in ecological restoration, focusing on agroecology. His highly integrative graduate thesis shows how the quality of the relationships to our own bodies, to other humans, and to the more-than-human world, is a core determinant of human health and function; in so doing, it provides a framework for understanding whole-systems well-being. John’s been a regular at Earthdance for over 8 years, and currently lives next door.
Elise Knudson
Elise Knudson (eliseknudson.org) is a New York City based dance artist. She teaches Contact Improvisation for Movement Research and facilitates CI at festivals and studios such as Touch Festival (China), Leviathan Studio (Canada) WCCI Jam (Berkeley, USA) and Moab Jam (Utah). Elise has taught repertory and CI at Manhattanville College and Theory and Practice of Dance Improvisation at Yale University. She created NEXToNow, modeled after The Impermanent Society of Philadelphia to provide a platform for the practice of performing interdisciplinary free improvisation. Honored by the opportunity to perform improvised dance with Nancy Stark Smith, David Appel, Chris Aiken&Angie Hauser, Alicia Greyson and others, Elise has also enjoyed the opportunity to perform choreography with various Artists, including Christopher Williams, Jenni Hong Dance, Kiori Kawai/Purring Tiger, Risa Jaroslow, Jody Oberfelder and Koosil-ja/DANCE KUMIKO. Over the years Elise has choreographed aerial dances, experimental installations and concert dances for stages large and small. She is currently interested in developing fluidity between instantaneous and premeditated choreography.
Anna Maynard
Anna is a multi-disciplinary artist, researcher, and teacher based in the United States. She completed her MFA Teaching Fellowship program at Smith College in 2019, specializing in compositional and emergent dance improvisation. Anna’s work combines a deep knowledge of somatic practices with a love for portraiture photography, exploring the intersection of gesture, movement, and perception.
Anna’s journey with Earthdance commenced in 2014 when she traveled from North Carolina, captivated by the allure of contact improvisation and the opportunity to be part of a dynamic dancing community. Over the years, her involvement has evolved from a curious visitor to a resident photographer in 2016. During her residency at Earthdance, she not only observed and documented but also actively engaged in numerous workshops and residencies.
Currently, Anna is a software developer and digital marketing specialist working in health tech, developing software designed for individuals with autism. She integrates her love for composition and spatial design with the technological world, aiming to build community and accessibility on the internet.
Through her public improvised performance research, Anna blends her artistic pursuits with somatic research to study perception and incorporate subtle body integration. Her work is a testament to the fluidity of the human experience and a celebration of the many expressions of the human body, inspiring and thought-provoking in equal measure.