Sarah Olsen

Sarah Olsen is a dancer, choreographer and dance educator from Wappingers Falls, NY. She began her training at age 10, under the instruction of Jaqui Frederick at Wappingers Dance Educators. She then went on to study dance and anthropology at SUNY Potsdam, graduating Cum Laude in 2019. At Potsdam she trained in modern and contemporary dance, choreography and improvisation. She also holds the K. Dunkley Award and Creative Achievement Award from SUNY Potsdam. 

 

Academically, her studies focused primarily on the social impact online media has on self-image and cultural practices among young college students, particularly dancers. This concluded in an digital ethnography and paper titled “#Dance Like Everyone’s Watching: Navigating Social Media as a Dancer”. This research reflects her belief of establishing a healthy learning environment for students, while maintaining confidence in an increasingly connected world. 

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Sarah has also choreographed many original works and has had the privilege of having her choreography presented at the American College Dance Association, WAXworks, NACHMO, Queens Outdoor Dance Festival and The Harvey School. She has completed training at the Perry-Mansfield performing arts school in Steamboats Springs, Colorado and has had the pleasure of working with choreographers and companies such as Peter Chu, Christopher K. Morgan, DanceAction, Balasole Dance Company and Wellbeing Dance. She has also performed at the Ailey Citigroup theater, Mark Morris Dance Center theater and Triskelion Arts.

 

Sarah finds passion in creating story-driven works that explore and uphold lived experiences. Deeply inspired by her passion for art, culture, history, and anthropology, her work leans toward the unconventional. She hopes to invite viewers of her work to question, reflect, and engage with the complexities of the human experience.

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