Olivier Besson

Olivier Besson is an Associate Professor of Dance at the Conservatory of Berklee College of Music, where he has taught since 2004. His academic affiliations span Commercial Dance, Contemporary Dance, and Musical Theater departments.

• Commercial Dance
• Contemporary Dance
• Musical Theater

His research and teaching focus on improvisation and contact improvisation, with a strong emphasis on real-time composition. Besson has developed a unique methodology in these areas, informed by his studies with pioneers such as Robin Field and Andrew Harwood. His artistic practice also incorporates traditional Japanese dance forms like Bugaku (studied with Arawana Hayashi) and Butoh techniques (trained under Maureen Fleming), alongside Action Theater (with Ruth Zaporah and Sarah Hickler), reflecting an interdisciplinary approach to dance education and performance.

Internationally, Besson has showcased his work at prestigious venues, including the National Institute of the Arts (Taiwan) in 1997, Die Pratze (Japan) in 2006, and Companie Vertige (France) from 2005 to 2010. He has collaborated with artists such as Chris Aiken, Cathy Young, and musicians Mike Vargas and Sharan Leventhal, underscoring his commitment to cross-cultural and collaborative performance practices.