Michael Montanaro

Michael Montanaro is a trans-disciplinary artist who is known for his work in the fields of contemporary dance, theatre, film, and interactive media. As an artist, professor emeritus and co-director of the Topological Media Lab, Montanaro is dedicated to the envisioning, conceptual design and creation of projects focused on evolving innovative ways in which performative practices and technology can be used collaboratively to enhance the interactive experience. 

A graduate of the Hartford Conservatory, he has performed with the Boston Ballet, Les Grands Ballet Canadiens and Le Groupe de la Place Royale where he also served for 5 years as co-artistic director. In 1985 he founded Montanaro Dance, developing a reputation for using cutting edge technology to create theatrical environments for his choreography. Over its ten-year history Montanaro Dance toured both nationally and internationally.  

Since 1996 Michael has worked as a choreographer, director and collaborator on numerous projects including the Cirque du Soleil’s “Varekai”, Opéra de Montréal`s multi-media version of “Carmina Burana”, the documentary “Montanaro InTime”, a full length theatrical work “Frankenstein’s Ghosts, and a series of short films entitled “Dances for Small Spaces”. From 1999 through 2014 Michael held the position of Chair of the Department of Contemporary Dance, Concordia University. 

Michael was the Principle Investigator and director of “InTime”- and “Cadence en Cours” both FQRSC funded research creation projects focused on building large scale interactive installations dealing with the perception of time and rhythm; a co-applicant/recipient on Michael Jemtrud’s FARMM LAB’s SSHRC Insight Grant ; Arts and Ideas in Motion,and a co-applicant on Philip Beesley’s SSHRC Partnership Grant “Living Architecture Systems”.

In 2011 Michael was invited by the Centre for Music Studies at Cambridge University as guest lecturer and also spent two separate periods of time at the University of Chicago as a visiting artist. In 2018 he was involved in the design of interactive media for the Solar Decathlon, Deep Performance Dwelling zero state home completion in China 

His work has been presented nationally and internationally at festivals such as MNM: New Musics Festival (CA), Western Front (CA), FIFA (CA), Ars Electronica (AT), Kapelica Gallery (SL), NEMO Biennale (FR), Sonica Biennale (BG), Eufònic (ES), Current-new media festival santa fe (usa), milanOltre (IT), Château de Lunéville (FR), Singapore Arts Festival (SGP).