Lani Nahele is a performer, educator, and bodywork practitioner with a diverse and rich career. A core member of the Trisha Brown Dance Company for seven years, she also danced under the direction of Ohad Naharin in New York City. She toured independently throughout Europe, teaching, creating dances, collaborating and performing in Paris, France; Vienna, Austria;Valencia, Spain; Barcelona, Spain; Berlin and Köln, Germany.

She was awarded a commission in Germany and created a women’s quintet, Spiral Out. Lani earned her BFA at SUNY Purchase.

Lani has taught modern technique, Contact Improvisation, Pedagogy and BMC.

An educator for the Trisha Brown Dance Company, she has also been a professor of dance at Springfield College and has taught master classes at The Julliard School, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Smith Marlboro, Bard and Keene Colleges.

A certified practitioner of Body-Mind Centering, Circulatory Massage, Reiki for Hospice, Energy Healing, Pilates, Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis. She is also trained in OrthoBionomy, CranioSacral Therapy, Continuum and Trager Technique. Her work, whether in movement education or bodywork, is centered on optimal physical capacity and expression, consciousness and emotional resilience.

Significant teachers

She honors her teachers, Mel Wong, Kazuko Hirabayashi, Carol Rioux, Merce Cunningham, Randy Warshaw, Kirstie Simson, Andrew Harwood, Nancy Stark Smith, Steve Paxton and most importantly the work of Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen.