Courtney Kristen Liu

Director-Choreographer & Assistant Professor at Elon Music Theatre

About

Courtney Liu is a Director-Choreographer and Assistant Professor of Music Theatre at Elon University. 


In addition to directing and choreographing productions at Elon, Courtney has choreographed musicals for The Forestburgh Playhouse, PlayMakers Theatre, and Duke University. Her concert dance work has been commissioned by the Ciompi Quartet, Thistle Dance, and the American Dance Festival in collaboration with the Nasher Museum. 


Prior to launching her dance career, Courtney managed an NIH-funded study evaluating the effects of Aprepitant for opioid withdrawal at Bellevue Hospital/NYU Langone Medical Center. Courtney’s current research on dancing flow states in performance and pedagogical environments is highly influenced by her early experience and continued collaboration with scholars in psychology and neuroscience. Courtney's research has been published in the Journal of Dance Education (JODE) and she has presented papers/posters/workshops at the Embodied Learning Summit, CORPS de Ballet International, the Appearance Matters Conference, and the National Dance Educators Organization. 


Performing credits include the Broadway cast of the Phantom of the Opera, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Queen of the Night, AEA & Disney Developmental labs, the Broadway Dance Lab, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Busch Gardens Theme Parks, various performances sponsored by the American Dance Festival Performances, and guest performances with the Cincinnati Ballet and the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. Courtney served as Assistant Dance Captain at the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and as Assistant Director for Norwegian Cruise Lines. 


Certifications: 

-Giordano Jazz Certified Teacher in Levels 1 & 2

-Luigi Jazz Certified Teacher in Levels 1 & 2

-ABT® Certified Teacher in levels Pre-Primary through Level 3

-RYT-200 certified yoga instructor

-Completed "A Practical Approach to Directing" at Yale University

-Completed the Leadership in Practice (LIP) Director's Training 


Affiliations: Actor's Equity Organization (AEA), National Dance Educators Association (NDEO), CORPS de Ballet International


Education: MFA, Duke University; BA, Duke University


Up to date information on choreography, teaching, research, & more can be found here

Curriculum vitae available here.


***Photo credits to KB Media, James Jin Images, and Robert Zimmerman (Nasher Teen Council photo (https://nasher.duke.edu/teens)*** 

Dance Reel and Improvisation Reel

Please direct all communication to courtneykristenliu@gmail.com.