Karmenlara Ely Seidman

Karmenlara Ely Seidman is a Professor and Artistic Director in Acting and Performance at the Norwegian Theatre Academy (NTA), Østfold University College, and a part-time Professor II at the School of Music, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. She holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy (2008) and an M.A. in Performance Studies (2001) from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

Her research explores interdisciplinary intersections of performance, ethics, and cultural memory, with foci including:

• Relational aesthetics and embodiment in performance
• Intergenerational art practices and indigenous/diaspora knowledge systems
• Transatlantic archives and decolonial methodologies
• Experimental pedagogy and institutional reimagining
• Street performance and ritual/game structures

Her publications emphasize performative archives, actor training, and ethical frameworks, frequently engaging with themes of cultural memory, embodiment, and institutional critique. Recent works demonstrate a strong focus on decolonial praxis and interdisciplinary collaboration.

She leads major funded projects including:

• Sea Matters (2023–2026): Performance research pedagogy laboratory
• Spectral Collaborations (2019–2022): Performative entanglement in Nordic Transatlantic Slavery archives
• Infinite Record (2013–2017): Archive memory and performance

She mentors PhD students internationally, serves on evaluation committees across Nordic institutions, and has developed innovative study programs bridging artistic practice and scholarly research.