Renata Sheppard
Renata is a director and producer specializing in dance film. A scholar, curator and collaborator, she tells stories through movement utilizing her unique background as a certified Movement Analyst, performer and director/producer of films, events and experiences.
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Renata's projects reflect a mission for global exchange, whether this happens in a small town through an artist residency or an international documentary film. She teaches in her specialized fields of Laban Movement Analysis, Screendance, Arts Business, Contemporary Dance and a somatic practice. She produces and directs commercial work, educational & art films, live stage and site specific choreographic and visual arts performances. She thrives on creative projects involving multiple disciplines where a keen understanding of communication, movement and psychology are key.
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A dual citizen of Italy and the United States, she is qualified to work in the EU, UK and the US. Previous positions include a professorship at the Seoul Institute of the Arts in South Korea, Henry Luce Scholar in Taiwan, Fulbright Fellowship in Italy, US Embassy Research Grantee, and guest artist at various institutions including Scuola Nazionale del Cinema in Torino, Italy.
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Renata has produced, directed/co-directed over 130 dance shorts and has a keen eye for shaping dance film as a director, consultant and collaborator. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Films that Move, a creative-placemaking event that brings international artists together in a small town setting to make short, dance-inspired films. This hybrid artist-residency/festival has been named an “Exemplary Program and Pinnacle Event” by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and has been recognized through several awards for its innovative design, creative leadership and the unique concept.
She has developed a niche area of expertise in dance film, cultural tourism and boutique art experiences. She is the founder and artistic director of Global Exchange Arts Roundtable (GEAR), a non-profit that bridges body intelligence and movement into film, tourism, business, education and technology.
Awards
Top 40 Under 40 Business Insider Hampton Roads
LightMoves Film Festival, Audience Award
Musrara Israel International Festival featured Artist
Hampton Roads Cultural Alliance "Allie" Award
Virginia Commission for the Arts "Exemplary Program & Pinnacle Event"
Bogliasco Foundation Fellow
Culture Hub NYC Residency Artist
Henry Luce Scholar
Fulbright Scholar
US Embassy Research Grant
InLight Richmond People's Choice Award
Chicago Dance Bridge Artist
Links Hall Link-UP Residency Artist
Dance Omi International Residency Artist
Summer Stages Dance Choreographic Fellow
Lemelson Illinois-Technology Innovation Finalist
Kate Neal Kinley Fellow
Moe Family Dance Award