Denise Murphy

Denise Murphy

Assistant Professor
Director of Dance Program
 

Biography

​Denise J. Murphy is the Director of Dance and Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Delaware. She holds an MFA in Choreography from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) and a BS in Dance Education from New York University. Denise currently teaches various technique and theory courses and choreographs new works within the Department of Theatre and Dance. Denise has previously taught at schools and universities such as University of the Arts, West Chester University, High Point University, UNCG and The Ailey School and received teacher training in Horton Technique. Her work and research has been presented at conferences and festivals such as ACDA, NDEO, and the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Denise lead a group of students to the Kennedy Center with her work, Vanishing Souls | Falling Embers where she received the award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography from Dance Magazine and ACDA. Denise has received various grants and awards and developed an interest in the intersection of dance and personal histories and how they are embedded into the process of dance making through a Library Research research grant, awarded by Barnard College. As a performer, Denise performed throughout NYC and North Carolina and has worked with choreographers and mentors such as Jan Van Dyke, Deborah Damast, Douglas Dunn, and Kriota Willberg and was a member of IsadoraNow, a dance company dedicated to the legacy of Isadora Duncan.