Reflecting on his early career, Michael recounts, “I took my first dance class in Santa Monica, CA at 27.” This late start unexpectedly ignited a passion, particularly in a choreography class he stumbled upon. He elaborates, “Something clicked for me in those classes, while using space and body to communicate. I saw and felt how choreographic processes helped me understand myself in relation to the world around me.” This pivotal experience fueled his dedication to making dance accessible, especially to those who might not traditionally see themselves as dancers. His mission to broaden access to creative dance experiences was born from this realization.
The Curriculum in Motion™ Institute at Jacob’s Pillow significantly shaped Michael’s approach. He recalls a transformative encounter with Celeste’s book, Dancing from the Heart: Life Stories, during his master’s studies. This led him to study with her at Jacob’s Pillow in 1998. This mentorship provided him with invaluable guidance on fostering caring, ethical, respectful, and inclusive partnerships within dance and community settings. His continued collaboration with Celeste in school residencies solidified his path in community-engaged dance education.
Michael’s practical experience flourished during his decade teaching in Los Angeles schools and universities. He forged partnerships with classroom teachers, mentored aspiring dance educators, developed comprehensive curricula, and secured community dance grants from California state agencies. During this period, he also established two dance improvisation performance groups, further enriching the dance landscape in Los Angeles. His entrepreneurial spirit led to the creation of MUV Dance & Yoga. This venture, staffed by nine dance artist/educators, facilitated residencies in 20-30 public schools annually, making a substantial impact on dance integration in education. MUV Dance became synonymous with bringing movement and creative expression into mainstream education.
Even after relocating to La Paz, Mexico in 2010, Michael’s dedication to dance education remained unwavering. While establishing local community dance classes, he sought to reconnect with his US and Canadian colleagues, leading to the inception of the Dancing Reading Online Group in 2017. For over six years, this group has explored creative dance integration through videoconferencing, fostering a virtual space for collaborative movement and learning. Expanding his online initiatives, Michael co-created and co-teaches online certification courses for Language of Dance Master Practitioner and the Selver/Sensory Awareness Leaders Training Institute since 2019. These synchronous video courses enable participants to develop as choreographers and dance educators within a supportive and dynamic online community, demonstrating his innovative approach to online dance education and the enduring legacy of MUV Dance principles in a digital format.
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original_image_url_1.jpg: Michael Richter demonstrating expressive dance movement, highlighting his expertise in dance improvisation and somatic practices as Curriculum in Motion™ Institute Co-Director.original_image_url_2.jpg: Collaborative dance workshop session, illustrating MUV Dance & Yoga’s approach to dance integration and community engagement in education settings.
