Leslie Bush
Performance and visual artist, writer, educator
734.255.2404
Education
2017 MFA, Temple University. Major: Dance Choreography and Performance.
2012 B.S.k., Indiana University, Bloomington. Major: Contemporary Dance.
Professional Experience
2017-present Adjunct Professor, Theater and Dance, Rowan University.
2019-present Adjunct Professor, Theater and Dance, Northampton Community College.
2018-present Movement Teaching Artist, Creative Labs Program, Fleisher Art Memorial.
2016-present Dance Instructor, L&M Dance Studio.
2017-2018 Guest Teaching Artist, Dance, Taller Puertorriqueno.
Original Creative Work
Live Performance
Exo-skin-esphere: Rowan University MainStage guest artist production, in collaboration with Rowan University robotic engineering faculty and students.
Improvisational dance performance using custom made interactive robotic suits. Premiered at Tohill Theater, Rowan University, December 8th-11th 2022.
Clearly or Darkly: Solo improvisation [created and performed by Leslie Bush, original sound design by Carlos Johns-Davila] using wearable sensors and interactive projections, premiering at The Whole Shebang, Philadelphia, February 2020.
Midden Heap: Improvisational duet [created by Leslie Bush, performed by Leslie Bush and Emma Elsmo] Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Mascher Space Co-Op, 2018. Old City Festival, Philadelphia, 2018.
Underneath This Land: Choreographed group work [created by Leslie Bush in conjunction with Temple Dance Department students, live vocals by Cecelia Castro] Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Mascher Space Co-Op, Philadelphia, 2018.
One Time It Happened That Way: Master’s Thesis [created by Leslie Bush, performed by Leslie Bush and members of Temple University Dance Department] advised by Merian Soto. Temple University, 2017.
Limen: Improvisational triptych installation [created by Leslie Bush, performed by Leslie Bush and members of Temple University Dance Department]. Temple University, 2016.
V(No.)1: Improvisational and interactive installation [created by Leslie Bush, performed by Leslie Bush and members of Temple University Dance Department]. Temple University 2016.
Choreography for Film
Red Shadow: Dance for film. Official selection, Impro Dance Festival, curated in collaboration with Dance Camera Istabnbul. June 2022.
Diary/therapy: Weekly livestreamed improvisational performance using projection, video, and sound scores investigating process as performance [designed and performed by Leslie Bush]. Ongoing, 2022.
Circulation: Created in Isadora visual program with technological prosthetics, and external motion sensor. Originally created for projection onto Brooklyn Bridge. [performance and filming by Leslie Bush, music and editing by Carlos Johns-Davila]. February 2020.
birdskin: Created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Winner of the “Solo but Not Alone” dance for film competition [created and performed by Leslie Bush] April 2020
Heap: Improvisational duet inspired by live performance of Midden Heap [created by Leslie Bush, performed by Leslie Bush and Emma Elsmo, directed by Chung-Wei Huang]. Official selection by Rogue Dance Film Festival, 2020.
Fox Den Court: Choreographed dance for film [created by Leslie Bush, performed by Jessica Halko, directed by Chung-Wei Huang]. Temple University, 2016
TastyKake: Choreographed site-specific film [Created and performed by Leslie Bush, Weiwei Ma, and Muyu Yuan-Ruba, directed by Chung-Wei Huang]. TasyKake factory, 2015.
Digital Works
3D Sculpture Garden: 3D digital sculptures, created from bodies in motion with sensor and 3D software [scanning and post-production by Leslie Bush, movement modeling by Emma Elsmo]. This project was supported in part by Small But Mighty Arts, 2018-present.
Arch: Digitally manipulated photos inspired by historical accounts of the treatment of hysteria and women’s bodily autonomy in the 19th century [photographs and post-production by Leslie Bush, movement by Jessica Halko]. 2016-present.
Curated Exhibitions
John Gault: Video movement installation using live surveillance feed [in association with Temple University Film and New Media Department]. Abington Arts Center, January 2017.
Caught: Live feed stereoscopic installation and movement experience [in association with Temple University Film and New Media Department]. Temple Performing Arts Center, April 2016.
Guest Performances
I’ve Got The Shakes!: [original choreography by Merian Soto] Temple University’s Faculty Concert. January 2020.
Moving the Map: One day performance festival curated by Dancer Citizen editorial board [choreography by Christina Castro-Tauser]. Brooklyn NY, June 2018.
Extemporaneousness [original choreography by Kathy Westwater created for Temple Dance Students], part of the Reflections Response series. Temple University 2016.
Accumulation: In association with Trisha Brown: In the New Body retrospective festival [original choreography by Trisha Brown, facilitated by Wendy Perron]. Philadelphia, 2015.
Kamishibaa Coppelia: Indiana University faculty concert [original choreography by Selene Carter]. Indiana University 2012
Hand Dance: a part of Indiana University’s guest artist program [original choreography by David Parsons]. Indiana University 2012.
Rite of Summer: a part of Indiana University’s guest artist program [original choreography and restaging by Bill Evans]. Indiana University 2011.
Teaching
Courses Taught
Improvisation I (undergraduate)
Dance History (undergraduate)
Ballet I (undergraduate)
Modern I (undergraduate)
Fundamentals of Modern (undergraduate)
Elements of Dance (undergraduate, non-majors)
Repertory (undergraduate)
Creative Dance for Children (undergraduate)
Guest Workshops
“Motion Capture and the Performer: guest speaker for Drexel University’s Spatial Capture class. Topics included the role of the performer in motion capture, and discussion around an ongoing collaboration with Drexel Master’s student Natasha Warshawsky [collaboration includes experimental approaches to motion capture]. Philadelphia, May 2020.
Bill Evans Somatic Dance Conference and Festival: workshops taught include Communal World Building in Improvisation. Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva NY, June 2019.
Springading Teacher’s Dance Festival: workshops taught include Communal World Building in Improvisation. Philadelphia, April 2019.
Grants, Residencies, and Awards
Illuminate the Arts: Monetary grant to individual artists for work or artistic practices recognized as “essential” to the local creative community. Awarded by Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy. Philadelphia, 2021 and 2022.
Drexel University research artist: Movement expert for ongoing research topics including new techniques of photogrammetry, motion capture, and digital avatar creation, in association with graduate student Natasha Warshawsky and the Drexel University Animation Capture and Effects Lab. Philadelphia, 2019-2020.
COVID-19 Artist Relief Fund: Monetary grant to Philadelphia based independent artists to support continued artistic practices during and after the pandemic, Philadelphia 2020.
Volumetric Filmmaking Residency: Invited by ThoughtWorks Arts for a two day residency to learn skills related to volumetric filmmaking for virtual and augmented reality performance. New York, NY 2019
Small But Mighty Arts: Monetary grant to research new 3D scanning and printing practices related to movement. Philadelphia 2018.
Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and University: Nominated by Temple University Faculty. Philadelphia 2017.
Publications
Bush, Leslie. “Home is When We Breathe Together”. thINKingDANCE, February 29, 2020.
Bush, Leslie. “Two Kinds of Carnivores”. thINKingDANCE, January 29, 2020.
Bush, Leslie. “Digital Motion.” ThINKingDANCE, 15 Nov. 2019.
Bush, Leslie. “Single Thing, Infinite Folds.” ThINKingDANCE, 2 Nov. 2019.
Bush, Leslie. “Unstable: Experiments with 3D Printed Bodies in Motion.” The Dancer Citizen, vol. 1, no. 8, 15 May 2019
Bush, Leslie. “8-Bit Back: Investment and Individuality in Within the Philadelphia Chiptune Scene.” The Dancer Citizen, vol. 1, no. 6, 15 May 2018.