Natalie Zervou

Natalie Zervou is an Associate Professor in Dance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Education, researching the intersection of dance practices with socio-political contexts, crises, and horror studies. Her work examines how dance negotiates national identity during periods of social upheaval.

Education includes:

• PhD in Critical Dance Studies, University of California
• MA in Dance, University of Surrey
• BA & LL.B., O.P. Jindal Global University

Her research explores dance as political commentary, refugee experiences through movement, and embodied protest. Recent projects analyze dance during Greece's financial crisis and new work pairing dance with horror studies to examine bodies in extreme states.

Publications demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches combining dance studies with cultural theory, migration studies, and political science. Recurring themes include embodiment of resistance, choreography of protest movements, and performance as cultural critique.

Awards and honors:

• First Book Program (2020)
• Education Innovation Grant (2017)
• Mellon Foundation Fellowships (2017, 2014)
• Janet Lansdale Award (2009)

She directs international collaborations including the Greece study abroad program, engaging students in cross-cultural dance research.