Lily Kind

Lily Kind (they/she) is a Lecturer for Dance at De Montfort University in Leicester, as well as a dance-maker, choreographer, and performer.  Lily has been at the heart of underground and grassroots dance scenes in the USA in Baltimore and Philadelphia, including as founder of Effervescent Collective (2008-2014), Associate Director of Urban Movement Arts (2017-2020), co-founder of Ragtag Empire (2016-2023) and as director of her own critically acclaimed ensemble show Wolfthicket. Lily is a Vernacular Jazz Dancer (including Lindy Hop) and Waacker participating socially and competitively in local and international scenes. As a contemporary dancer, Lily specializes in the methods of David Zambrano (Flying Low & Passing Though) as well as clown and physical performance in the tradition of Headlong Dance Theater. She has had the priviledge to train closely in Black dance styles with Ron Wood, The Hood Lockers, Vince Johnson, and Breai Mason-Campbell. In 2024, Lily joined the London chapter of the House of Suraj, led by Kumari Suraj.

Lily has choreographed, lectured, and guest taught for Gallim Dance Company, Sarasota Contemporary Dance Company, Princeton University, Ursinus College, Marymount Manhattan College, Miami Light Project, Tulane University, Temple University, and The Baltimore Museum of Art. She has assisted the work of Stephan Koplowitz, Raphael Xavier, Dan Rothenberg, as well as appeared in and supported many independently produced music videos and theater productions.

Press Coverage

PoPMoves: International Research Group for Popular Dance & Preformance

De Montfort University Institute of Drama, Dance and Performance Studies

Guest Writer at Culturebot, Phindie, and thinkingDance. 

Choreographic work presented by Philadelphia Dance Projects (2020 - present), Mondo Baltimore (2021), and Urban Movement Arts (2017-present). 

Guest Choreographer at Princeton University (2022), Ursinus College (2022), and Miami Light Project with Chelsea Murphy (2020).

Artist in Residence at TABLE Gallery Chicago (2020), SoundSpace Performing Arts (2018), Writer in Residence at Dance Italia (2016), Sarasota Contemporary Dance Company (2015).

• Black Dance In America
• Cultural Anthropology
• African Diaspora
• Arts Economies
• Choreography
• Improvisation

• Africanist Principles
• Contemporary Dance (Flying Low & Passing Through)
• Vernacular Jazz
• Improvisation
• Composition & Choreography
• Dance History

• MFA Interdisciplinary Arts (Goddard College)
• BA honors Individualized Interdisciplinary Studies (Goucher College)

DAN 2602 | The Healthy Practitioner | Practical: Flying Low & Passing Through

DAN 2600 | Style, Production, Artistry | Creative Workshops 

DANS 1533 | Ensemble Production & Performance | Module Leader

DANS 1532 |Space, Place & Connections | Module Leader

DANS 1531 | Rethinking Dance |Practical: Vernacular Jazz

DANS 1530 | The Responsive Dancer |Practical: Vernacular Jazz

Artist Fellowship Nominee, PEW Center for Arts, 2023.

The Woodshed, Jazz Pedagogy Residency, 2022 Cohort.

Host of The Rocky Awards, sponsored by Fringe Arts & thinkingDance, 2021.

Art & Social Change Grant, as Change Partner for Great On Skates, Leeway Foundation, 2021.

Artblog + The St. Claire's New Art Writing Contest Winner, For Under 500 words, 2016.

Dance Italia Writing Fellowship, 2016.

Best Choreographer, Baltimore Magazine, 2014.

Best Dance Company, Effervescent Collective, Baltimore City Paper, 2010, 2012.

Best Dance Company, Effervescent Collective, Baltimore Magazine, 2012. 

Baker Artist Award ‘B’ Grant, 2011.

Top 10 Baltimoreans to Watch Under 30, Baltimore Sun, 2011. 

Grant Recipient, Ignite Baltimore, for city-wide dance calendar, 2010. 

Innovation Grant, Goucher College, for Hounddog vs Golddigger, 2008.

Magu Yoga, Advanced Teacher Training (2017).

Subject/Object/Practice/Place: Connecting Creatively Through the Performing Arts 10th Annual Conference of the School of Performing Arts, University of Malta, 2024. Presented: ‘Flying Home: A Critical Embrace of Queerness & Africanist Aesthetics in David Zambrano’s Flying Low & Passing Through’

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