Kathleen Ochoa, (KO) is from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where she works as an independent movement artist. KO currently studies herself- and creates, directs, produces through the KO Dance Project, a project orientated collective inspired by Qi Gong, improvisational research, interdisciplinary happenings and site-specific installations.
Her most recent project is as Artistic Director for HIV Edmonton's 25th Anniversary Legacy project, where she will be bringing an embodied approach to garden and sculpture design for HIV Edmonton's Legacy Garden Memorial.
KO's work has been supported by the Edmonton Artist's Trust Fund Award (2010, 99), Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton Arts Council, Alberta Arts Career Development Awards(08), United Nation's Literary Competition (04), Brian Webb Dance Company, Orchesis Modern Dance at the University of Alberta, and Mile Zero Dance.
She has studied extensively throughout Canada and attained a BFA in Contemporary Dance from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. KO has also studied in various schools throughout New York City, London and Paris, and worked as an apprentice with contemporary dance company, Union Dance Company in London. In New York, KO worked with contemporary dance company, Human Behavior Explorers, interned with Movement Research, performed her own work in Movement Research's “Works-in- Progress” and Judson Church Series, and performed with Sam Kim as part of Jennifer Monson’s Migratory Dances. KO's work has also been performed in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Philadelphia.
KO is also a certified Qi Gong instructor, Yoga and Pilates teacher, Traditional Thai Massage Therapist and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist. www.pryt.com/kochoa
Recently, KO has collaborated at Garage Dahdah- multimedia collective, Marseille, France and was invited to participate in Danse Recherche Aix-en-Provence Residency working on a singular approach to creation and collaborative improvisation through sensation research. Most recently she participated in the creation and opening of “Yoga at Chiostro del Bramante,” Rome, Italy, as well as dancing and collaborating in one of Rome’s leading contemporary dance collective, RomaContact.
