BIO
morgaine ann de leonardis is an irish-italian american director, choreographer, and movement director working in film and live performance.
de leonardis is highly skilled at telling stories through movement and creating site-specific performances. Whether through a camera lens, across the proscenium, or in immersive work, she is focused on engaging the physical body of the audience in vulnerable, care-filled, joyful, and memorable ways.
de leonardis has been invited and commissioned to make site-specific choreographic work for: The Buffini Chao Deck at the National Theatre, CrossRail Rooftop Garden (The Space Theatre), the Historic Loews Jersey Theatre, SMUSH Gallery, and The Ace Hotel Manhattan. Event choreography includes Art House Production's Dinner En Blanc, Jersey City at Lincoln Park for an audience of 1,000.
She movement directed PissNChips (short film) and Changing Room, a moving image shortlisted by Vogue for the Woman by Woman festival directed by Turkina Faso. She choreographed Dave Lockhart’s music video for Calico, premiered a new solo: 31 arriving at Art House Production’s Theater, and is a Teacher-Director for COUP: A screen dance training company in London.
As a 2023 NJ State Council of the Arts Choreographic Fellow she directed what the Jersey City Times calls, a “clever and emotionally effluent” immersive-dance and dinner show, “no place like home” (The Box Cafe). And premiered a new stage work, “change” (South Orange Performing Arts Center). see more work here?
de leonardis has been Artist In Residence at The English National Ballet via Shared Grounds, Shawbrook Residential (Ireland), KosaMare (Greece), and Monira Foundation (NJ, USA). and is currently a choreographic Artist in Residence at All is Joy Studios (SOHO, London).
accessibility
de leonardis works with Kinetic Light as a facilitator of LAB: an online social and creative space for disabled artists. she has extensive experience with accessibility in the arts and has produced disability-centered arts events at The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, and Gibney in NYC.
Community and Advocacy
morgaine is passionate about bringing people together in safe and care-filled creative environments. From LAB: an online community for disabled artists, to open mic nights in the Height of Jersey City, to dance classes for all she loves crafting meaningful experiences rooted in connection and art. And self and communal expression.
accessibility
de leonardis works with Kinetic Light as a facilitator of LAB: an online social and creative space for disabled artists. she has extensive experience with accessibility in the arts and has produced disability-centered arts events at The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, and Gibney in NYC.
Kinetic Light’s LAB: A virtual and social creative space for disabled artists. (oneline)
Since 2020 morgaine has built, produced, and facilitated LAB. Hosting informal online accessible programming for disabled creatives to meet, hangout out, talk, and share work, ideas, life-hakes, and stories.
teaching
COUP: Dance Training Community (London)
morgaine is a co-director and educator for COUP: a dance training community based in London. There she trains cohorts of up to 18 dancers teaching contemporary dance, physical theatre, improvisation, and performance skills. Each year she collaborates with the cohort of COUP to devise and create a story-telling dance film.
Open Classes (global)
Independently, morgaine teaches a wide variety of open workshops and drop in courses including: soft floor work and spirals, immersive dance-theatre, composition & devising, character building, and contact improv/group dynamic.
