Diana Shepherd
Movement Artist
djshepherd94@gmail.com
http://djshepherd94.wixsite.com/dianashepherd
Personal Summary-
Movement is not only a part of daily life, but one of the most fundamental parts of personal expression, and that is what dance represents. Using training from different backgrounds for artistic expression and community building, encourages the increased use of improvisation in the performance space.
Bio-
Diana Shepherd is a movement artist from Illinois, USA. She studied and received her BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There, Diana worked with choreographers Kirstie Simson, Tere O’Conner and performed her senior thesis entitled “Selfs”. Diana has participated twice in the International University Global Theater Experience’s Art Oasis program in Italy and in Austria, where she was an assistant to the program. Diana has been a dance teacher since 2010 and taught her own children’s dance classes in Berlin, Ireland and the USA at various studios and schools. For her Berlin premiere, Diana performed the self-choreographed solo “Bodies (2nd Part)” in the ada Studio performance showcase 10 Times 6. She has acquired a Masters of Arts in Performing Public Space from Fontys University of Applied Sciences in 2019 with her final project entitled Catresponse, which deals with the street harassment of women that takes place through catcalling and creates an opportunity for response. Diana recently finished at the University College Cork in Ireland for a Masters in Arts Management and Creative Producing with the premier of Contingence, an international improvisational dance piece on online communication. Diana is currently living, working and studying in Colorado, pursuing her choreographic ideas on international bodies and how they interact with the society that exists, and restricts, around them. She loves public space, gender roles and boxes.
Skills Overview-
14 years of dance teaching experience. QA testing and automation. Social Media managing. Creative producing. Intermediate German and American Sign Language. Remote Work. Certified Barre Fitness instructor. SEO certified. 4+ years of customer service experience. Experience with Google suite, Microsoft suite, MeetEdgar, Onlypult, Falcon, Airtable, Cision, Zapier, Active Campaign, Miro, Slack, Asana, Glip, Canva, Zendesk, Confluence, PureCloud. Managerial experience.
Work Experience-
DanceStudio-Pro, Columbus, Georgia (remote) — Quality Assurance
December 2022 - Current
Writes and performs tests for comprehensive software status
DanceStudio-Pro, Columbus, Georgia (remote) — Customer Service Representative
January 2022 - December 2022
Assist customers and solve inquiries through chat, email and phone
Colorado Ballet Education and Community Engagement
Dance Teacher/Instructor
August 2021 - current
wendy.network, Vienna, Austria (remote) — Head of Community Development
June 2020 - December 2021
Experience with Wordpress, cryptotechnology, social media, hiring, event organization
Education-
University College Cork / Masters of Arts
September 2020- September 2021, Cork, Ireland
Masters of Arts in Arts Management and Creative Producing
Fontys Hogeschool Voor De Kunsten/ Masters of Arts
August 2018-August 2019, Tilburg, Netherlands
Masters of Arts in Performing Public Space
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign / Bachelor's of Fine Arts
August 2013 - May 2017, Urbana- Champaign, Illinois, USA
Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance
References-
Alexander Baldele Dr. Marie Kelly
Senior Executive Arts Management & Creative Producing
KONJUGNATE University College Cork
hello@caliberco.at kelly.marie@ucc.ie
Links-
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSLGUT8PSQYDsh7n02hQtBg?view_as=subscriber ;
https://vimeo.com/user21081704
Website: http://djshepherd94.wixsite.com/dianashepherd
Photos: https://djshepherd94.wixsite.com/dianashepherd/media
Portfolio-
Between the Lines
Grounded Dance Company performance
Salida, Colorado, USA
June 2024
Public Positions publication
“Contingence” in conjunction with the SAR Conference in the Netherlands
https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/2618472/2618473
April 2024
2024 Natural Resonance Festival
Virtual Gallery and Video presentation
March 2024
2023 Natural Resonance Festival
Virtual Gallery and Video presentation
January 2023
Architecture Images Studies Journal
"A Dramaturgical Analysis of Contingence in the Out of Orbit Festival 2021" Publication
December 2022
https://doi.org/10.48619/ais.v3i2.645
9th International Conference organized by AP2/Urban Creativity
Presentation on Zoom Dance Around the World
Remote (Lisbon, Portugal)
July 2022
Worldwide Duet Dance on 2.2.22
Virtual improvisation and choreography duet
Global Water Dances
February 2022
Westminster Dance Co.- Company Director/Choreographer
2021 Holiday Lighting Ceremony
Westminster City Hall, Colorado
December 2021
Contingence
Out of Orbit Festival
Virtual Improvisation Performance, UCC Ireland
May 2021
Online exhibition
Global Dance Circle Video Series
Mark DeGarmo Dance
June 2020
Catresponse Workshop
Frauenkreise Berlin
October 25, 2019
Workshop curated and presented by Diana Shepherd
We Go Public/ Final Showcase 2019
Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten
Tilburg, Netherlands
June 28, 2019
Presentation of content created by Diana Shepherd
Artistic Laboratory /Researching the possibilities of public context
Residency
Vooruit, Ghent, Belgium
June 3-7, 2019
Curated by Michel Deprez
Muliebris
Weaving Visions of R*Evolution hosted by FemmeFraktale
Kulturbotschaft Berlin-Lichtenberg, Berlin, Germany
November 17, 2018
Solo created by Diana Shepherd
Gynic
Performing Arts Festival, K77 Studio
K77 Studio, Kastanienallee 77, 10435 Berlin, Germany
June 9, 2018
Solo created by Diana Shepherd
6th Dance Education Biennial 2018
Uferstudios, Berlin, Germany
February 28-March 5, 2018
Assisting participant with Kirstie Simson
Bodies (2nd Part)
ada studio, 10 Times 6
Ufer Studios, Berlin, Germany
November 11-12, 2017
Solo created by Diana Shepherd
Assistant coordinator for Makanda Market: an Eclipse Event Performances
Makanda, Illinois
August 18-20, 2017
Diana Shepherd and Nan Sorrels (Paid)
Improvisation Performance
Makanda, Illinois
Makanda Market: an Eclipse Event Performances
August 18, 2017
Score created by Diana Shepherd
Published in Dance at Illinois Annual Newsletter: “Pivot”
“Arts Oasis”
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Dance Department
August, 2017
Written by Diana Shepherd
Link: http://www.dance.illinois.edu/images/news/DanceatIllinois_Pivot2017.pdf
Bodies/ Senior Thesis Concert: Borderless
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Dance Department
Defy Gravity Aerial and Pole Studio
April 28-30, 2017
Choreographed by Diana Shepherd
Transcontinental Bodies/ Undergraduate Research Symposium
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Illini Union
April 27, 2017
Choreographed by Diana Shepherd
Certificate of participation in the IUGTE International Winter School of Physical Theatre
Retzhof Castle, Leitring bei Leibnitz, Austria
30 hours, February 21-26, 2017
Sergei Ostrenko, Inga Ryazanoff
theropoda/ February Dance
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dance Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
February 2-4, 2017
Choreographed by Charli Brissey
Selfs/ Senior Thesis Concert: Going From There
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dance Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
December 2-3, 2016
Choreographed by Diana Shepherd
Baby Blue/ Oksana Kuzma
Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
October 22nd, 2016
Improvisation coordinated by Oksana Kuzma
Creative Residency /Carson Reiners
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
August 15-21, 2016
Choreographed by Carson Reiners
Arts Oasis Program International Residency for Performers/ Sergei Ostrenko
Tuscany, Italy
Monastero Santa Croce
May 25-June 1, 2016
Coordinated by Sergei Ostrenko and Inga Ryazanoff
Funded by the James Scholar Fine and Applied Arts Program
Colab Performances/ Various
University of Illinois surrounding area
Krannert Center, Champaign Public Library, Beckman Institute, Pizza M, Temple Hoyne Buell Hall
Feb-May 2016
Collaboration between Dancers and Musicians at University of Illinois
Andante e Polacca/ French Horn Master Student Recital
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Music
Music Auditorium, Music Building, Urbana, IL
April 27, 2016
Choreographed by Diana Shepherd and Elaine Anderies
Social Animal, Please Tame Me/ Studio Dance I
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dance Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
March 10-12, 2016
Choreographed by Lailye Weidman
Cloud Parade/ November Dance
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dance Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
November 12-14, 2015
Choreographed by Tere O’Conner
Kaivalya/ November Dance
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dance Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
November 12-14, 2015
Choreographed by Linda Lehovec
Concrete Compositions/ Student Produced Work
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
September 18th, 2015
Choreographed by Katherine Williams and Allison Pauley
Home/ Susan Barnes Dance Annual Recital
Marion Cultural and Civic Center, Marion, IL
May 31, 2015
Choreographed by Diana Shepherd
Fallen Skyscrapers/ Dance at Illinois Senior Senior Thesis Concert
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dance Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
May 1-2, 2015
Choreographed by Kamilla Kinard
Cigarettes in the Shower/ Dance at Illinois Senior Thesis Concert
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dance Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
May 1-2, 2015
Choreographed by Carla Gruby
Rodrigo by Handel/ Student Opera Performance
Smith Hall, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Campus, Urbana, IL; Wesley United Methodist Church, Urbana, IL
May 13 and 18, 2015
Choreographed by Diana Shepherd
Journey/ November Dance
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dance Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
November 6-8, 2014
Choreographed by Fredrick Earl Mosley
Zeitgeist/ November Dance
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Dance Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
November 6-8, 2014
Improvisation facilitated by Kirstie Simson and Susan Becker
Push4Art/ Improvised Dance
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
October 11, 2014
Diana Shepherd and Reika McNish
Janet: A Silent Ballet Film
Directed by Adam Stone
2014
Choreographed by Tara Lee
Mozart In Motion/ Southern Illinois Summer Music Festival
Marion Cultural and Civic Center, Marion, IL
June 2014
Choreographed by Diana Shepherd
Orpheus in the Underworld/ Lyric Theater Opera Performance
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Opera Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL
March 6-9, 2014
Choreographed by Rebecca Nettl-Fiol
A Life Unhappening: A Spoken Word Ballet; Understudy Role
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL; Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, St Louis, MO
May 4, 11, 2012
Choreographed by Chelsea Stone