About the Artist
Christopher K. Morgan is the Artistic & Executive Director of Christopher K. Morgan & Artists (CKM&A), the Dance Artist in Residence in the School of Theater, Dance & Performance Studies àt fn" University of Maryland, and the Director of Dance Omi, an annual collaborative residency for international choreographers in New York. Christopher grew up in Orange County, California
dancing the Hula and Pólynesian dances of his Hawaiian ancestors. Introduced to ballet, jazz and modern dance at the age of 17, he then studied these forms at the University of California Irvine. After only 2 years at Uñiversity, he was offered a job dancing for Malashock Dance & Company in San Diego. This began his extensive performing career that would have him move to San Diego, Munich, Washingtoñ D.C., New York, Dublin and London. Now, he brings his diverse heritage and over 20 yeais of experience as a dancer, educator, choreographer and arts facilitator to the many facets of his work.
All of Christopher's work stems from a belief in the urgent importance of live performance in an increasingly isolating, commercial, and digital world. His choreography has been called "charming and poignant" by Jennifer Dunning of The New York Times and has been presented in 18 countries on 5 continents, in venues including The Kennedy Center, The Maly Theatre (Moscow, Russia) the Hong Kong Cultural Center and the South Lawn of the White House. The work has addressád issues including sexuality, gender identity, race, ethnic identity, climate change and water conservation.
Christopher founded CKM&A in 2011; the same year Dance Magazine profiled him as one of six breakout choreographers in the United States. CKM&A was named Washington DC's Best Dance Company in the 2015 CityPaper Annual Reader's Poll. Christopher's 2010 work +1/-1, commissioned by the U.S. State Department and CityDance (where he was Choreographer in Residence and Rehearsal Director from 2007-2011), opened the Ramallah International Dance Festival and won the Dance Metro DC award for Outstanding New Work that year.
Christopher's performing career has been expansive, dancing for the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, Kevin Wynn and the Collection, Shapiro & Smith, Selfish Shellfish (Germany), Hernanão Cortez, and Pilobolus Creative Services, among many others. He was a soloist with the Washington National, Houston Grand, and New York City Operas. Christopher was also in the original Olivier nominated cast of Fabulous Beast Dance Theater's Giselle, the original cast of David Gordon's Bessie Award Winning Production FAMILY$DEATH@ART.COMedy and the original cast of David Gordon's NEA Masterpiece Dancing Henry V. Television and film credits include a PBS Great Performance with Placido Domingo, and on film dancing with Kate Winslet and Christopher Walken in John Turturro's film Romance & Cigarettes.
A respected educator, Christopher is the Dance Artist in Residence in the School of Theater Dance & Performance Studies at The University of Maryland. Prior to his current appointment, he spent three and a half years as the Dance Artist in Residence at American University in Washington, D.C. He has taught at and staged work at over 30 conservatories and institutions of higher education throughout tñe United States, Europe, Asia and South America including the prestigious Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Italy, The Rosella Hightower School in Cannes, France, The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and The Iwanson School in Munich, Germany.
Known as an eloquent speaker and advocate for artists, Christopher is frequently sought as a speaker, facilitator, adjudicator and panelist, including adjudication for the American College Dance Festival and grants panels for the NEA, Maryland State Arts Council and the McKnight Foundation among others. Recent awards include 2011 Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award for Choreography, 2013 Native Arts & Cultures Foundation Fellowship, 2014 NPN Creation Fund Award, 2014 Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award for Solo Dance Performance, 2014 National Dance Project (NDP) Production Grant from NEFA, named
one of the top 100 Creatives in the United States by Origin Magazine in April 2015 and the 2015 Montgomery County Executive Arts Award for Outstanding Artist.
Christopher resides in North Bethesda, Maryland with his husband, opera director Kyle Lang.
