Biography
Michaela Ellingson is from and based in Jackson, Wyoming. She received her BFA in dance and minor in arts management from SUNY Purchase and MA from London Contemporary Dance School. In London she danced with EDge Postgraduate Company and also performed with multi-disciplinary companies Bittersuite and Flavour & Some. She has been a member of Contemporary Dance Wyoming since 2016 and has performed work by Babs Case, Francesca Romo, Lauren Edson, Courtney Mazeika, Andrea Miller, Gina Patterson, Robyn Mineko Wiliams and Luke Dakota Zender. She was a guest artist with David Dorfman Dance from 2021-2025. She is the Junior Company Director at Dancers' Workshop and teaches Pilates and MELT. She was a recipient of the Wyoming Performing Arts Fellowship Grant in 2022 and a Bryon Fellow Summer 2026. She has taught dance workshops in Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Connecticut, New York, Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua. She has assisted Francesca Romo in setting work on Bare Bait Dance, Repertory Dance Theater and the University of Wyoming Dance Program. Michaela is invested in building relationships with artists throughout the mountain west region and creating multi-disciplinary work.
Artist Statement
When asked to describe myself it is easy to fall into the labels of woman, artist, educator, dancer, Pilates practitioner, aspiring poet, outdoor enthusiast, partner and dog mom. I am indeed all of those things but the root of what inspires me is how I can be in relationships with others and how to facilitate and deepen those relationships through art, movement and conversation.
I am passionate about people and am known in my social community for being the one who is always asking questions. I am most alive when meeting a new person and we are able to dive into playful and vulnerable conversation. I love spending time with a client, student or friend and together we are able to facilitate a pathway of growth and investigation through a creative process or physical practice. I am passionate about movement that illuminates the present moment and I feel fulfilled when I achieve a sense of true embodiment performing on stage or walking in the mountains.