Chisa Hidaka

Described by the New York Times as moving "excitingly, as if she is consumed by the dance," Chisa Hidaka began dancing for a number of independent choreographers (Marta Renzi, Pooh Kaye, Sally Silvers and others), while attending Barnard College, where she received her BA in Dance (1986). She has been active in the Contact Improvisation community in NYC for nearly 30 years as a dancer, teacher, and facilitator. With an MD from the Weill Medical College of Cornell University (1994), Dr. Hidaka teaches Anatomy in the Barnard College Dance and Biology Departments and oversees educational programs at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Her observations about the similarities between dolphin non-verbal communication and the interaction among dance improvisers are the basis of Dolphin Dance Project’s creative inquiry. Founded in 2009 by Chisa Hidaka, MD and Benjamin Harley, the Dolphin Dance Project produces video-based works that focus on the inter-species dance collaborations between wild dolphins and trained human dancers as a touchstone to inspire viewers to reconsider their relationship with all the creatures with whom we share our planet. Benjamin brings to the project his experience from a global career consulting in the telecommunications and media industries as well as 10 years of intensive dance training, including performances at multiple venues in NYC.