b i o g r a p h y Elise Knudson graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BA in Philosophy and moved to New York to study dance on scholarship at the Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Lab in 1994. Elise has danced with Wendy Perron, Chemeki/Lerner, J. Mandle Performance Group while developing her solo choreography. After dancing with Philadelphia based Trapezius in 2000, she became interested in aerial dance. Elise continues to choreograph and perform aerial and experimental dance under the name 'Airelise' for corporate, public and artistic events. Her eternal interest in props has led to extra-dance explorations and collaborations such as attending the International Wind Art Residency at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, the Franklin Institutes' Science/Art Jam and choreographing/composing for theater. Elise has choreographed aerial fairies for Shakespeare, abstract monologues for Queens residents, spectacles for corporate events, clowned for the Kites on Ice Festival and presented work in numerous New York City venues as well as Canada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Minnesota. She enjoys the opportunity to get grounded periodically while performing and touring with Risa Jaroslow, Laura Peterson, Jody Oberfelder and Noemie Lafrance/Sensproduction.   Noemie Lafrance/Sensproduction Risa Jaroslow Jody Oberfelder

	m i s s i o n  s t a t e m e n t   Airelise captivates the public imagination by inviting audiences to believe in the illusions we put before them. We draw from traditions in modern dance, circus arts and physical theater to make movement that is viscerally felt and visually stimulating. By developing relationships between bodies and objects that alter the way a body normally moves and appears, we take the human form out of context resulting in dance that is discovery. Working within physical limitations forces us to be like scientists discovering new forms of life. We give these new forms breath to grow and evolve.