Ellie kusner
Ellie Kusner is a teacher, writer, and Bessie Award-winning performer. She began performing as a student of The Boston Ballet School, where she danced with the company in many large-scale productions. Realizing that a career in pointe shoes was not her destiny, Ellie went on to earn her BA from Barnard College before embarking on a freelance dance career. She worked with numerous choreographers including Mark Morris, Pam Tanowitz, Ellen Cornfield, Nilas Martins, and Patricia Hoffbauer, in venues ranging from warehouse rooftops to The Metropolitan Opera.
Ellie holds an MSc in Dance Science from Trinity Laban, London, UK and enjoys exploring and implementing evidence-based teaching practices to enhance the learning, health, and performance of dancers. Ellie has taught at various institutions including Hofstra University, American Ballet Theater’s JKO School, Boston Ballet, Barnard College, Gallim, and Trinity Laban. In addition to teaching dance throughout NYC, she currently teaches pilates to dancers at The Juilliard School and to all populations in the Wellness Center at the Mark Morris Dance Center.
Ellie is the chair of the IADMS Dance Educators’ Committee and is the co-host of DanceWell Podcast, a resource dedicated to exploring 360 degrees of health and wellness for dancers. She frequently contributes articles to Dance, Dance Teacher and Pointe Magazines.
**Ellie grew up asthmatic. Though she could get through dance class, her performance was impeded by restricted breathing. Eventually, she learned to improve her breathing habits with re-education and help from Alexander Technique teacher, Gwen Ellison. Her Master’s thesis investigated dancer’s experienced of breathing while dancing.