Michelle Erard is an interdisciplinary artist and educator trained in non-Western dance forms, improvisation, and somatic movement practices, the traditions of which underpin her artistic work and teaching. Her artistic work addresses themes of identity in connection to place by exploring layered memories and histories through emergent movement, sound, and language.

Erard’s recent work has been presented at The Junction Dance Festival, Providence Fringe Festival, School of Contemporary Dance and Thought, and Smith College. She has performed in works by Angie Hauser, Marilyn Sylla, Barbie Diewald, Rujeko Dumbutshena, Bill Walters, Tomaz Simatovic, Sonia Olla, Alejandro Granados, and with the companies Los Flamencos, Alma Flamenca, and Afriky Lolo.

Erard received her MFA from Smith College, BA from University of New Mexico, and completed training at the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts. She is a certified teacher of Action Theater, Open Source Forms, and Fluid Yoga, and co-created and co-founded the multidisciplinary improvisation collaborative, Walking Backwards.