Janet O'Shea

Janet O'Shea is a Professor in the Department of World Arts & Cultures/Dance at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). With a PhD in Dance History and Theory from the University of California, Riverside, she has published extensively on classical Indian dance, martial arts studies, and political performance. Her research spans postcolonial theory, phenomenology, and environmental humanities.

• BA in Anthropology and Dance (Wesleyan University, 1990)
• MA in South Asian Studies (University of California, Berkeley, 1995)
• PhD in Dance History and Theory (University of California, Riverside, 2001)

Her scholarly work examines the global transformation of Bharata Natyam, intersections of martial arts and performance, and the political dimensions of physical risk. Recent projects include collaborations with neuroscience and analyses of food politics through dance frameworks.

Key trends in her publications include: transnational cultural exchange, decolonial pedagogy, embodied cognition, and activist performance. Her work bridges dance studies with environmental ethics, combat sports, and protest movements.

• Association for Asian Studies First Book Subvention Award (2007)

O'Shea supervises graduate research in postcolonial studies, festival studies, and South Asian dance scholarship. She has taught courses on dance history, gender studies, and performance theory, and was supported by grants from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and British Academy.