Autumn Eckman (MFA, University of Iowa) received her classical training at the Houston Ballet Academy and launched her professional career with Giordano Dance Chicago, where she served as Assistant Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer, and Director of Giordano II. Her performance career includes dancing with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Luna Negra Dance Theatre, Lucky Plush Productions, Ron De Jesus Dance, State Street Ballet, and The Cambrians. Autumn’s choreographic portfolio spans commissions for State Street Ballet, DanceWorks Chicago, Visceral Dance Chicago, Vitacca Ballet, Chattanooga Ballet, Kit Modus, The Big Muddy Dance Co., Mareck Dance, Dance Kaleidoscope, and numerous university programs across the U.S. She is a recipient of the Georgia Sea Grant Writers and Scholars Award for her dance film ‘a(shore)’, which explores themes of movement and place in natural environments. Her work has been presented at festivals and conferences including the ADF Movies By Movers Festival, Bill Evans Somatic Dance Conference, Women in Dance Leadership Conference, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Bates Dance Festival, and internationally at Performática, Blackbox Festival, and JUNTOS Collective. Autumn brings over 20 years of teaching experience including serving on faculty of the American Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival and the Ballet Alliance, Northern Illinois University and the University of Arizona. Committed to nurturing the holistic development of her students, she is currently an Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University.
