Image courtesy of Canaan Mattson

Born on the traditional homeland of Dakhóta and Ojibwe, Parker ‘s upbringing in the Rondo neighborhood led her to the homeland of the Indigenous Lenape people as a second art home base, also known as Brooklyn, NY. Parker is an educator, performer, improviser, organizer, dance artist, choreographer, and director. She is a 2017 Bessie Award recipient, a Jerome Hill Artist Fellow 2019-2021, 2022 McKnight Choreographer Fellow, and 2024-2026 Jerome@Camargo artist-in-residence in Cassis, France. Holding an MFA from Hollins University in partnership with Dresden Frankfurt Company and Kunstlerhaus Mousonturm in Frankfurt, Germany. As an educator, she has lectured and taught in dance programs at Spelman College, Florida State University, TU Dance, University of Michigan, Sarah Lawrence College, University of Minnesota, Alabama School of Fine Arts, Keshet Dance School and Performing Arts, Carleton College, Point Park University, Temple University, and Hollins University. As a dance artist she has worked and studied with Laurie Carlos, Urban Bush Women, Ron Brown, Chuck Davis, Nia Love, Reggie Wilson, and many more. Parker’s multi-year and multi-city works have been commissioned and presented by Walker Art Center, Danspace Project, Pillsbury House Theatre, Pangea World Theatre, Center for Performance Research and New York Live Arts. Her work is rooted, researched, and performed through residencies, public performances, and workshops across the US and internationally including Blaise Senghor Cultural Centre, CounterPulse, Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography, BOOM Concepts, Links Hall, Judson Church, and Movement Research.

www.leslieparkerdance.com