Hannah Park, Ph.D.

Dr. Hannah Park is a dance educator, dance advocate, artist, movement specialist, researcher and administrator. Her current research interests include embodied pedagogy, dance and diversity education and curriculum development, dance and social entrepreneurship, and community interaction through dance, particularly for underserved populations.

Dr. Hannah Park is a dance educator, dance advocate, artist, movement specialist, researcher, and administrator. At Iona University, she teaches theory and studio courses in dance and directs the Iona University Dance Ensemble. She delights in being connected with the art of dance through teaching in diverse settings; exploring dance, choreographic and somatic movement practices; engaging in community interactions; and practicing and conducting research in these areas. Her current research interests include embodied pedagogy, the application of somatics in creative processes, dance and diversity education and curriculum development, dance and social entrepreneurship, and community interaction through dance, particularly for underserved populations.

Dr. Park has performed with the Purchase Dance Company and the Second Avenue Dance Company in New York and has worked with or performed works by Jose Limon, Martha Graham, Mark Morris, Neil Greenburg, Kay Cummings, Gus Solomon Jr., Kun-Yang Lin, Jin-Wen Yu, Lisa Kraus, Philip Grosser, Ananya Dance Theatre, Lori Belilove, and the Isadora Duncan Dance Company, among others. Her choreographic works have debuted in both the United States and in Korea, and she has presented papers and workshops nationally and internationally including at conferences of the National Dance Education Organization, National Dance Society, American College Dance Association, International Association of Dance Medicine and Science, Dance and the Child International (daCi), Body Mind Centering Association and Somatic Dance Conference and Performance Festival . She has previously taught at Lander University, University of Utah’s Virginia Tanner Creative Dance program, Laban/Bartinieff Institute of Movement Studies in New York City and Temple University.

Dr. Park holds a Ph.D. with a research emphasis on dance education and a graduate certificate in women’s studies from Temple University where she received a Teresa Benwzie Dance in Education Award, an MFA in dance performance and choreography from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, a BFA in dance from State University of New York’s Conservatory of Dance–Purchase, and a diploma in contemporary dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She is also a certified Laban/Bartinieff movement analyst and somatic practitioner.

• NDEO/ISMETA 2024 Special Topics Somatics Conference, New York, NY, July 12-July 14, 2024
  • "Embodiment, Mindfulness, and Identity: A model" (Workshop)
• ACDA 2024 East Central Conference, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, February 29-March 2, 2024 
  • “Mindfulness in Action! Intergenerational outreach project fosters communal health!”(Workshop) 
• Somatic Dance Conference and Performance Festival, Geneva, NY, July 6-8, 2023
  • "With the Wind" (Solo Dance Project)
  • “Tuning in—Exploring Physical Wisdom” (Workshop)
• Body Mind Centering Association Conference 2023, Geneva, NY, June 21-25, 2023
  • "Breathing Bones" (Workshop)
• CAMP LIMS(Laban Institute of Movement Studies) Conference 2023, Online, June 18, 2023
  • "Embodying Postures and Gestures" (Workshop)
• New York State Dance Education Association Winter Conference 2023's Dance and Pride, NYC, NY, February 4-5, 2023
  • Dancing Me & Us: Creative Process as Critical Pedagogy
• Dance Studies Association 2022's Dancing Resilience: Dance Studies and Activism in Global Age, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, October 13-22, 2022
  • "Creative Process as Inclusive Pedagogy and a Medium for Social Change" (paper)
• daCi (dance and the Child international), July10-15, 2022
  • The collaborative dance of social justice and community: Social entrepreneurship and activism through dance pedagogy(paper)
• Somatic Dance Conference and Performance Festival, Geneva, NY, July 6-10, 2022
  • Immerse and Unfold II (Solo Dance Project)
  • Somatic based "Self-Care through the Heart"
• Body Mind Centering Association Conference, June 26, 2022
  • Developing Presence through Heart Centered Movement
• ARTs + Change Virtual Conference, June 3, 2022
  • Dancing Pluralism: Opportunities for Equity in Dance Education
• Laban/Bartinieff Institute of Movement Studies' CAMP LBMS Program, May 15, 2022
  • Embodying equity, justice, and diversity: Exploration of inclusive pedagogical practices in creative processes through the lens of Body, Effort, Space, and Shape
• Virtual World Dance Alliance - Asia-Pacific International Dance Conference, Seoul Korea, October 27, 2021
  • Embodying equity, justice, and diversity: Inclusive pedagogical practices in creative processes
• Dance Studies Association 2021: Galvanizing Dance Studies, October 15, 2021
  • Social Justice Exploration for Connection and Empathy: Creating a Space for Untold and Unvoiced Stories
• National Dance Education Organization Virtual Conference, October 7, 2021
  • Dances of Inclusion: Using Creative Process to Explore Equity and Justice
• ARTs + Change Virtual Conference, June 3, 2021
  • Beyond Movement: Reimagining creative process through dance and activism
• World Dance Alliance, Virtual Conference, April 24, 2021
  • Workshop: Embodying Imagination: A Pathway to Knowing the Body
• National Dance Education Organization, Virtual Conference, October 23, 2020
  • Warm Up Session: Body Mind Dancing with Focus on Developmental Patterns
• Body Mind Centering Association Conference, Hobart William Smith Colleges (HWS), Geneva, New York, June 24-27, 2020
  • Workshop: “Bodily Resonance: Somatic Improvisation”
  • Solo Dance: Silent Reverberation
• New York State Dance Education Association Conference 2020 New York City, New York, February 2, 2020
  • Workshop: "The Embodied Self in Dance: Finding a Voice through Communication, Collaboration, and Creative Thinking"
• National Dance Education Conference 2019, Miami, Florida, October 24-26, 2019
  • Paper: “Choreography as a Somatic Practice: A Case Study Exploring the Body and Choreographic Practices.”
• 2019 Body Mind Centering Association Conference, University of Santa Barbara, CA, August 7-10, 2019
  • Workshop: “Spiraling: Journey to Connectedness through Somatic Improvisation"
  • Solo Dance: “The Heart Space”
• Somatic Dance Conference and performance festival at Hobart and William Smith College, Geneva NY, July 10-14, 2019
  • Lecture/Demonstration: “Embodied Poetics: Investigating Inner and Outer Expressions through Social Justice Narratives,”and “Me and Us” a collaborative duet performance project with Prof. Allison Pagano
• National Dance Education Organization’s Special Topics Conference 2019,
  Emerging Pathways within Somatic Movement and Dance Education, Gibney Dance, New York, NY June 21-23, 2019.
  • "Somatic Dance: Creating an Inclusive Community for Children with Learning Disabilities"
• American College Dance Association Conference, SUNY Brockport, Brockport NY, March 2019
  • Workshop: "Function and Expression: Somatic Improvisation"
• International Symposium of the Korean Society of Dance: Dance Science for Community Contribution, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea, October 14, 2018
  • Paper: “Talking Bodies: Use of Embodiment in Enhancing Literacy among Hearing- Impaired Children”
• Dance and the Child International, Adelaide, Australia, July 2018
  • Presentation: "Unleashing Creative Energies: An Exploration of Somatics through a Nietzschean Lens", co-presented with Dan Liang '18
• Body Mind Centering Conference, Smith College, MA, June 2018
  • Solo Dance Project: “Gravity of Heart”
• International Association of Dance Medicine and Science Conference, Houston, TX, October 2017
  • Lecture: “Harmonious Embodiment: Somatic Approaches to Training a Transparent Body”
• Body-Mind Centering Association Conference at Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, July 2017
  • Choreographic Project: “Roots and Petals”
• World Dance Alliance Global Summit at the School of Music at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, July, 2017
  • Lecture: “Investigating and Reactivating Movement from the Inside"
• Somatic Dance Conference and Festival, Geneva, NY, July, 2017
  • Lecture: “Every BODY’s Journey”
• The College Music Society Northeast Chapter, March 2017
  • Presentation: “Tools and Long-Term Benefits from a Collaboration between Music and Dance”, co-presented with Dr. Carol Shansky
• American College Dance Association Conference, Randolph, NJ, March 2017
  • Lecture: “Embodying Function and Expression”
• “Body, Musical Language, and the Creative Process: Evoking meaning through collaboration (Lecture & Demonstration)” & "Listen and Attune: The embodiment of music through movement" (Workshop), with Dr. Carol Shansky, presented at the Sound and Movement Conference, Salzburg, Austria, November 2016
• “Move to Reach and Widen!: Strategies for Impactful leadership" (Leader of a Panel), with Nicole Flinn (from Hope College, MI) and Dr. Jessica Van Oort (from St. Gregory's University, OK) presented at the National Dance Education Organization Conference, Washington DC, October 2016
• "Dance Reach! A Collaboration between a University Dance Program and a Success Center,” World Dance Alliance- Americas, Puebla, Mexico, August 2016
• "Using Dynamics and flow as a creative process tool," (Workshop), Somatic Dance Conference and Performance Festival, Hobart and William Smith College, Geneva, NY, July 2016
• "Somatic Based Contemporary Technique" (Workshop) & "Yoga for Dancers: Inner and Outer Exploration” (Workshop), American College Dance Festival Association-North East Conference, Brockport, NY, March 2016
• “Speaking Bodies: Shaping Artistic Voices through Somatic Choreography,” National Dance Education Organization, Phoenix, AZ, October 2015

Choreographic Projects for the Iona University Dance Ensemble

• "Embodied Connection and Resilience" - Spring 2024
  • "Pulling and Reaching II"- Solo
  • "Reach, Embrace, and Progress" - Ensemble Group Dance
  • "Embodied Connection and Resillience" - Ensemble Group Dance Film
• "Reimagine, Move, Transform" - Fall 2023
  • "Inner Ritual"- Solo
  • "Breathe, Move, Be" - Ensemble Group Dance
  • "Reimagine, Move, Transform" - Ensemble Group Dance Film
• "Arts, Architecture, and Community" - Spring 2023
  • "With the Wind"- Solo
  • "Duality" - Ensemble Group Dance
  • "Arts, Architecture, and Community" - Ensemble Group Dance Film
• “Sound, Traces, and Motion” - Fall 2022
  • “Immerse & Unfold II”- Solo
  • “Inner and Outer Rhythm” - Ensemble Group Dance
  • "Tuning In"- Dance Film
  • “Sound, Traces, and Motion” - Ensemble Group Dance Film
• “Reflection in Action” - Spring 2022
  • An Excerpt from “Immersion”- Dance on Screen
  • “A Cleanse”- Dance on Screen
  • “Intent” - Ensemble Group Dance
  • “Reflection in Action” - Ensemble Group Dance Film
• "Colors of Patterns" – Fall 2021
  • "An Excerpt from Inner Waves" – Solo
  • "Calm Chaos"– Ensemble Group Dance
  • "Colors of Patterns" – Ensemble Group Dance Film
• "Social Justice in Motion" – Spring 2021
  • "Pulling and Reaching" – Solo
  • "Together in One Earth"– Ensemble Group Dance
  • "Screaming Out Loud" – Ensemble Group Dance Film
• "Embodied Spirituality" – Fall 2020
  • "Resilience" – Solo
  • "We Insist" – Ensemble Group Dance
  • "Reflections" – Ensemble Group Dance Film
• “Space and Places II: Imaginations and Stories” – Spring 2020
  • “Immerse and Unfold” – Duet
  • “Those Round and Heavy Things” – Ensemble Group Dance
• "Embodied Humanity" - Fall 2019
  • "Me and Us" - Duet
  • "Journey to the Heart" - Ensemble Group Dance
• "Space and Places" - Spring 2019
  • "The 'O' Space: Infinity" - Solo
  • "Open Enclosure" - Ensemble Group Dance
• "Kinetic Maze"- Fall 2018
  • "An Excerpt from "The Heart Space" - Solo Dance
  • "Kinetic Maze I: Hidden Senses" & "Kinetic Maze II: Departure and Arrival" - Ensemble Group Dance
• "Tapestries of Movement" – Spring 2018
  • "Excerpts from 'The Inner Flow'” - Solo Dance
  • "Fantasy Dream" – Ensemble Group Dance
• "Memories and New Beginnings" – Fall 2017
  • "Little Sanctuary" - Solo
  • “Shall We Dance?” – Ensemble Group Dance
  • “The Pulse” - Ensemble Group Dance
• "Exchange and Interchange" - Spring 2017
  • “On the Wings of a Song”- Solo
  • “Colors of Power” – Ensemble Group Dance
• “A Celebration of Body, Mind, and Spirit” – Fall 2016
  • “Becoming: Then and Now” – Duet
  • “Sun Dialogue” – Solo
  • “Flotation”- Solo
  • “Earthly Whispers” – Solo
  • “Intelligence Dream”- Ensemble Group Dance
• "Now!: Body Stories" – Spring 2016
  • "Liquid Membrane" – Ensemble Group Dance
  • "Harmonious Calm" - Solo Dance
• “Inner Pulse” – Fall 2015
  • "Inner Pulse" – Ensemble Group Dance
  • "The Bird Warrior" - Solo Dance

• National Dance Education Organization's Virtual Professional Development Day: Dances Of Inclusion: Using Creative Processes To Explore Equity and Justice-Saturday, January 21, 2023
• LIRIC (Learning in Retirement at Iona University): The Music and Dance of Brazil: The Styles of Rio De Janeiro Co-presented with Dr. Adam Rosado - Friday, November 18, 2022
• LIRIC (Learning in Retirement at Iona University): A living, Dancing Culture: Native American Dance as History and Identity - January 19, 2021
• Kookmin University: Dance & Community Engagement: A Case Study - Oct 11, 2018
• Dance and Media Research Center, Seoul, Korea: Dance & Literacy Education: Methods and Approaches - July 19, 2018
• LIRIC (Learning in Retirement at Iona University): Dance yourself healthy! - Oct 24, 2017
• LIRIC (Learning in Retirement at Iona University): Dance and Music in the 30s - May 6, 2016

• Somatic Dance Conference and Performance Festival, Geneva, N.Y., July 6-8 , 2023: "With the Wind"
• Somatic Dance Conference and Performance Festival, Geneva, N.Y., July 6-10, 2022: "Immerse and Unfold II"
• Body Mind Centering Association, August 2019: "The Heart Space"
• Somatic Dance Conference and Performance Festival, July 2019: "Me and Us"
• Body Mind Centering Association, July 2018: "Dionysian Wonder"
• Laban 2018 International Conference, New York, N.Y.: "Gravity of Heart"
• Body Mind Centering Association, July 2017: "Roots and Petals"

• Consultant and In-State Editor: New York State Education Department- Assessment in Dance
• Advisor: The Arts Leadership Major with Dance Concentration Program, The Dance Studies Minor Program
• Committee Member: Faculty Senate and its Executive Committee
• Committee Member: The Iona University Council on the Arts
• Guiding Council Member: Iona Spirituality Center
• Committee Member: Honors Council
• Committee Member: Iona Scholar’s Day Planning Committee
• Committee Member: Library Committee
• Committee Member: Faculty Search Committee
• Board Member: Dance and Media Research Center, Seoul Korea
• Board Member: Korean Society for Dance Studies
• Board Member: SYREN Modern Dance
• Board Member: Seoul City Contemporary Dance Company

• Spring 2023 - Provost Faculty Development Award
• December 2022 - Academic Award from The Korean Society of Dance 
• Fall 2019 - Hynes Faculty Fellowship Award
• Fall 2019 - Travel Grant
• Spring 2019 - Travel Grant
• Fall 2018 - Travel Grant
• Fall 2017 - Travel Grant

• National Dance Education Organization
• New York State Dance Education Association
• Body Mind Centering Association
• Dance Studies Association
• American College Dance Association
• Dance and the Child International
• Dance USA
• International Association of Dance Medicine and Science
• Americans for the Arts