Chris Elam

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MISNOMER DANCE THEATER is a repertory company that was founded by Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer, Chris Elam. The company creates contemporary dances about human relationships that are informed by cross-cultural and international perspectives. Elam approaches dance both as a choreographer and ethnographer, which informs the technical and conceptual complexity of his choreography.

Elam and his company have performed, choreographed, and researched in the USA, Cuba, Brazil, Indonesia, Ireland, Holland, Ukraine, France, and Turkey. NYC productions include The Skirball Center, Symphony Space, Danspace Project, PS 122, DTW, Joyce Soho, and the River-to-River Festival. Misnomer was named one of the top ten dance performances for 2006 by The New York Times and as one of the "25 to Watch" for 2007 by Dance Magazine.

Misnomer was awarded a year-long residencies from both The Joyce Theater and the Skirball Center. Residencies also have been received from the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center, ORT, Dragon's Egg, New York University, Union Street Dance, and Brooklyn Arts Exchange. They have received commissions and fellowships from The Yard, Summer Stages Dance, the Baryshnikov Arts Center, The American Music Center, The New York State Council for the Arts, The Jerome Foundation, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Bates Dance Festival, the Portland Center for New Dance Development, and DanzAbierta in Cuba.

Misnomer's unique aesthetic and extensive online work has lead to collaborations and projects with Bjork, Apple Computers, Business Week, and Danish Dance Theater. Renowned composers Andy Teirstein, Scott Killian, Mike Vargas, Jesse Manno, the Talujon Percussion Ensemble, and Evan Ziporyn have set scores to Misnomer's dances.