Crystal Michelle Perkins

Crystal Michelle Perkins is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Dance at The Ohio State University, specializing in contemporary movement practice, choreography, and performance. She holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University and an MFA in Dance from The Ohio State University. Her work focuses on Black female embodiment in dance, migration narratives, and interdisciplinary collaborations.

Education:

• BFA in Dance Performance, Southern Methodist University
• MFA in Dance, The Ohio State University

Research Interests: Her choreographic research includes The Beautiful Archive Project—an audio archive exploring Black female embodiment—and Boxing Up Beautiful, an intermedia performance. She investigates migration experiences of people of color in the American South through works like The Descent of this Water: Rain, a site-specific project commissioned by the Dublin Arts Council.

Collaborations: She has worked with the Dayton Philharmonic, Blackbird String Quartet, and Khalid Moss Jazz Trio. Her piece Unrested and Unfaithful remains in Dayton Contemporary Dance Company's permanent repertoire.

Awards:

• Individual Excellence Award (Ohio Arts Council, 2014)
• Josie Award (2014)

Teaching & Leadership: Serves as a guest artist for institutions like the New Orleans Ballet Association and teaches contemporary movement at OSU. Member of Association of Performing Arts Presenters Leadership Fellows and OhioDance Board of Trustees.