Diane Arvanites

I encourage you to know yourself, and venture into unknown territory, both externally and internally. We find joy in the discovery of movement potential, kinesthetic clarity, authenticity, and the structural integrity of the bones.   

Diane Arvanites joined the Conservatory in 1994, and teaches core curriculum modern technique, composition, modern partnering, and somatic techniques.

Arvanites is a body activist, movement educator, and creative artist. As a movement educator and dance teacher she applies somatic teaching methods to core curriculum technique classes, with the aim of expanding the ideas of space, transition, micromovement, and kinesthetic awareness. 

Honored as a Distinguished Alumni of the Conservatory in 2002, Ms. Arvanites has had an extensive history as a choreographer, educator, and the co-Artistic Director of Prometheus Dance. Her choreography and cocreated work has been performed internationally in Europe and South America, and in the US by Lincoln Center Out of Doors (1994), Dance Umbrella (1993, 1995, 1997), Celebrity Series (1998, 1999), Emerson Stage (1998), the International Festival of Arts & Ideas (2001, 2002), the Joyce Theater (2003, 2008), Opera Boston (2004, 2005, 2007), Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival (2004, 2008), World Music/CRASHarts (2001, 2009, 2013, 2019), Outside the Box festivals (2014, 2015), Boston Conservatory Theater (2002, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2016), and Bates Dance Festival (2014). The work has earned support from several foundations and attracted numerous awards, including a creativity grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (2002), six artist fellowships for choreography (1994, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2014), a Gold Star Award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (2005), and a Citation for Outstanding Artistic Achievement from the city of Boston (2009).

Arvanites received her B.F.A. from the Boston Conservatory in 1980. She studied dance in New York and in Caracas, Venezuela, where she was rehearsal director for Coreoarte and founding member/choreographer of Accion Colectiva. Her next endeavor is to facilitate a “floating studio” series of workshop residencies for mid-career artists.

Professional Awards and Recognitions

• Boston Foundation LAB Grant for Project Rau (2019)
• MCC Artist Fellowship for Choreography (1994, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2014)
• Citation for Outstanding Artistic Achievement from the City of Boston (2009)
• Gold Star Award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (2005)
• National Endowment for the Arts Creativity Grant (2002)

Notable Recent Works

• Project RAu Turkish/American/Syrian Collaboration (2019)
• The Cage, Warp, Heart of the Matter (World Music/CRASHarts, 2001, 2009, 2013, 2019)—Choreographer
• Boston Conservatory Dance Division Mainstage Productions (2002, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2016)—Choreographer
• Heart of the Matter (Bates Dance Festival, 2014)—Choreographer
• Devil's Wedding (produced and workshopped in Ecuador, 2012)—Choreographer