Jill Burrows
Author
Gwyneth Moss Bragdon, dancer, choreographer, actress, teaching artist, experiential anatomy practitioner, was born in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and lived much of her young life in Acton, Massachusetts. She began her formal study of dance at age five with Carol Sumner of the New York City Ballet and later earned a bachelor of dance arts degree wi....
more
Gwyneth Moss Bragdon, dancer, choreographer, actress, teaching artist, experiential anatomy practitioner, was born in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and lived much of her young life in Acton, Massachusetts. She began her formal study of dance at age five with Carol Sumner of the New York City Ballet and later earned a bachelor of dance arts degree with a minor in dance and music ethnology from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). While at U of M, she was one of the artists invited to join professors, psychologists, and social workers in a research think tank—in collaboration with American writer and philosopher Ken Wilber—that focused on transpersonal psychology. Gwyneth performed leading roles as an actor/dancer throughout the Northwestern United States in productions that include Macbeth (directed by Peter Anthony), Hair, and Rashomon. She also performed and choreographed plays and performance pieces internationally for a Canadian Fringe Festival. As an instructor and teaching artist, Gwyneth taught dance for preschool through university levels and found working with nondancers particularly rewarding. She also led workshops in creative movement and experiential anatomy, facilitating sacred space for personal discovery. When Gwyneth moved to Atlanta, Georgia, she was honored to serve as an artistic associate (2006–2012) at Gateway Performance Productions, where she was the first to portray the lead role of Hypatia of Alexandria as well as provide choreography for Remembering Hypatia (a play by Sandra Hughes). For Gateway’s production of Water is Life: Hidden Springs, Atlanta (commissioned by Art on the Atlanta Beltline), Gwyneth was a featured dancer and choreographer. She was also instrumental in the development of new performance pieces, such as Amazon Dances, which was performed and choreographed with Allen Pittman for a Gateway Community Arts Barter event. Gwyneth was extensively involved in community organization and facilitation and was a trained and award-winning community facilitator through the Neighborhood Foundation for Atlanta, United Way. Her most important role in life, however, was being the mother of her four beloved children: Anais, Gillian, Cyrus, and Leaf.