MICHELLE THOMPSON is currently a professor at SUNY Purchase. She received her training from San Francisco Ballet, and danced for 14 years with Ballet Austin. She performed in works by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Ulysses Dove, Stephen Mills, Sidra Bell, Greg Dolbashian, Nelly van Bommel, Amy Seiwert, James Gregg, Gina Patterson, Thang Dao, and more. Also during her time in Texas she earned her undergraduate degree from St. Edward’s University, and began her choreographic career with an emphasis on site specific and immersive dance experiences. She is a freelance choreographer in New York, and has recently shown work at The Mark O’Donnell Theater, Green Space, Dixon Place, and Art On Site. Michelle most recently premiered a new commission in Dallas for Pegasus Contemporary Ballet in June 2024 in collaboration with Grammy award winning musician Scott Tixier. Other recent commissions include NuVu Festival, CreateArt, Ballet Hartford, J Chen Project, Harvard Ballet Company, Columbia Ballet Collaborative, and SUNY Purchase. Michelle has worked closely with Grammy award winning musician Johnny Butler and creative partner Caleb Patterson on projects performed at The Visionary, Mercury Lounge, Ace Hotel in Brooklyn, C'mon Everybody, and the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, NY. Michelle was the Artistic Director of New York based Spark Movement Collective from April 2020-April 2024. Michelle grew this company for 4 years, and has been awarded grants by The Flushing Town Hall for programming for children and The Queens Council on the Arts for her work Armenian Voices. She was chosen as the Women’s Choreography Project winner in 2017 by Avant Chamber Ballet in Dallas and was featured in Dance Magazine. Michelle’s Illusory Impressions collaboration and co-directorship with composer Catherine Davis was given an award by the Austin Critics’ Table for excellence in a Site-Specific work. She also creates for film and music video projects. She teaches for Peridance and for NY Community Ballet in Manhattan. Michelle has also performed with XAOC Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Eryn Renee Young at Battery Dance Festival amongst other New York venues. Michelle teaches yoga, and she is a mother of two.
IG @michelle_thompson_ulerich
