David J. Popalisky

DAVID POPALISKY directs the Dance Program in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Santa Clara University where he teaches Dance History, Modern Dance technique, Choreography and Performance and Culture. He has an MFA in Choreography from Mills College and an MA in Theatre Arts/Dance Emphasis from San Jose State University. Former artistic director of DaaPo, based in New York City, David has choreographed, performed and taught throughout the United States He choreographed and performed for the Belize International Dance Festival in 1998 and in 1999 returned to set a work on the Belize Junior National Dance Company. In the past year his dances have been presented at the Monterey Dance Festival, the Brand Library series in Los Angeles and the West Wave Festival in San Francisco. He was commissioned to create Flames of Prayer for the Western Ballet Company and his Busted Bunker was featured in the Vision Series in March 2004 in San Francisco. He has performed with Tandy Beal throughout California in Outside Blake's Window and other productions such as her recent "Mixed Nutz" version of the Nutcracker, and a concert with Bobby McFerrin. With the Throne Dance Theatre he toured Korea and Japan and performed in concert with the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

In March 2004, David Popalisky premiered Barred from Life, a multimedia performance work that explores the issue of wrongful conviction and is based upon multiple interviews with exonerees. He has continued to perform this work for two years, simultaneously with the creation of The Fatherhood Project. Created in collaboration with Cookie Ridolfi, Director of the Northern California Innocence Project, Barred from Life played to enthusiastic acclaim. It has been performed in San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Milwaukee, Chicago, and recently played to a full house at the Mountain View Center of Performing Arts.

David has taught dance in Italy and Korea and has worked as a Master Dance teacher the Bay Area California Arts Project. David is married with two sons, aged eleven and nineteen, the inspiriation for The Fatherhood Project and "Dads Don't Dance," three summers of workshop for dads exploring issues of fatherhood through dance. David's research on fatherhood and dance was presented at the American Culture Association and Popular Culture Association convention in New Orleans, April 2003.

More information about David's Additional Choreographic/Performance Projects