photo by Stephanie Leathers
Suzanne Beahrs
Suzanne Beahrs loves modern and contemporary dance as her main jam, and also teaches creative movement, dance appreciation, and ballet. As a student and a teacher, Suzanne loves being in dance class, connecting with both kids and adults through play and movement. She has practiced dance for 28 years and taught for over 11 years.
Based in Berkeley, CA (Ohlone land), Suzanne currently teaches at ODC in San Francisco, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center in Berkeley, and independently. From CT originally, she was an adjunct professor at Elon University in NC from 2015-2017, where she also taught modern, ballet, and creative movement to kids and adults at Ninth Street Dance and ADF Scripps Studios. Previously, she previously taught at Gibney Dance and Mark Morris Dance Center in NYC. As a freelance artist and teacher who’s moved a few times, Suzanne has also worked with dancers at Gateway High School, San Francisco Dance Center, City College of San Francisco, Las Positas Community College, Marin Academy, Branson School, Walltown Childrens’ Theatre, Arts Together, Carolina Dance Center, North Carolina State University, Phoenix Center for the Arts.
Of the many collaborators she is grateful to have choreographed and performed alongside of, Suzanne is especially and forever grateful to every dancer, designer, intern, volunteer, mentor, donor, and friend who contributed to the work of the company Suzanne Beahrs Dance while based in NYC, and would like to call out in particular long-term collaborations with dancers Sarah Hillmon, Julia Jurgilewicz, and Celine Syslo. The New York Times described the movement of the full-length work Amid (2014) as having a “grounded, silken quality.” Suzanne is also grateful to have performed a solo by Randee Paufve, and for recent collaborations with Chelsea Brown, Scott McPheeters, Brianna Taylor, and a film collaboration with Kevin Shea Adams; for dancing for choreographer Ishika Seth in San Francisco 2007-2009; and for dancing in projects by Garrett + Moulton, Christine Cali, and Mo Miner.
As a consultant, Suzanne organizes ideas, events, and data related to Bay Area communities and lands. Her recent clients include Justice Outside, TOGETHER Bay Area, and the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council.
MFA Dance, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, 2012
BA Geology, UC Berkeley,2004
STUDENT FEEDBACK:
“I have improved significantly because of Suzanne. I hope to have her again. No one else has pushed me so far off my comfort zone, and I really feel gutsy. She explains concepts in a way that I can actually understand.” -Elon University Student, 2016
Suzanne “made an effort to get to know us, and what we were capable of, and I think created a great class that worked in many spaces. I would say she creates a great environment that feels safe and fun, and one where we can make mistakes and ask questions.” - City College of San Francisco Student, 2021
CONTACT: sbeahrs@gmail.com, sbeahrsconsulting@gmail.com