Benny Simon

Background

About Benny Simon

7/9/2022 Benny Simon is a dancer, educator, and arts administrator. He is currently a PhD candidate at The Ohio State University where his research engages with dance and performance studies, new media theory, and critical digital pedagogy. Previously an Assistant Professor of Dance and Director of the Summer Dance Institute at Ohio University, he now serves as Director of Arts Administration at Le Moyne College. As an educator, he has taught in all levels of higher education and in the private sector. At Ohio University he taught contemporary dance technique and composition, dance history, brand management, and contributed to the development of the Master of Arts Administration and Community Dance degree programs. At The Ohio State University, he co-created the course, Arts Management for Dance. He has been a guest artist and lecturer at New York University, Brandeis University, Syracuse University, Skidmore College, and Barnard College. In the private sector, he has been faculty at BalletMet, Gibney Dance, The Mark Morris Dance Center, and Peridance Capezio Center. As a choreographer, his work has been presented at The Ohio State University, Syracuse University, The Davidson Theatre, the Upstart Festival at the Brooklyn Artists Exchange, and Triskelion Arts’ WAXworks and Split Bill. Most recently he choreographed Folding In: Redux, a dance-film duet derived from a recorded interview with Gibney Company artist Amy Miller. Prior to that he choreographed Further Responses at Ohio University to Caroline Shaw’s choral composition, Seven Responses. Benny’s experience in arts administration began in the private sector as Senior Vice President of Technology for the international digital ad agency, 360i. In the not-for-profit sector, he has was Director of Marketing for Gibney where he managed digital and print media and contributed to fundraising state and private fundraising efforts. He created and manages the Simon Family Scholarship, which subsidizes the cost of training for emerging dancers, and launched the DANCE ‘n TELL network, an online resource that connects dance students teachers and studios. Benny has served on the boards of Dance New Amsterdam, Alexandra Beller/Dances, and OhioDance.