FOUNDER
Kathy Dunn Hamrick
In 2015, Kathy founded Austin Dance Festival, the company’s largest and most ambitious dance event. Each year, people come from all over the country to attend dance showcases and takemaster classes that highlight the outstanding work being done by a diverse roster of dance-makers in the field of modern dance, contemporary dance, experimental dance, and improvisation.
The festival grew to include a Youth Edition for aspiring professionals ages 13-18, community dances, and a Dance on Film Screening.In 2018, Kathy was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame as “a model for the artist who approaches each project in a spirit of experimentation and reinvention.”And in 2024, Kathy left her role as Artistic Director and passed the baton to the next generation of arts leaders: Alyson Dolan as Artistic Director, Drew Silverman as Executive Director and Resident Composer, and Natasha Small as Executive Director of Austin Dance Festival. She continues to teach, mentor, advise, volunteer, donate, and do anything else possible to support their vision for the company and for the community.
Kathy founded Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company in Austin, Texas in 1998.As Artistic Director, she premiered the company’s first work, “So Close,” at Café Dance in 1999 with founding dancers Gaye Greever, Marlo Harris, Renee Nunez, and Kate Warren. Over the next 25 years, Kathy created over 50 dances for the company that were described as “strikingly athletic and wonderfully expressive,” “heavenly,” “smart” and “masterful.” Her dances garnered numerous recognitions for the company, including Austin Critics Table awards for Best Choreographer, Best Dance Concert, Best Dancer, Best Duet, Best Lighting Design, and Best Ensemble. Under her leadership, the dance company performed Kathy’s original works throughout Texas as well as in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, and Toronto.
During Covid, she collaborated with Catastrophe Arts Theory to produce “Lake Dances,” a site-specific
work in which dancers performed on platforms on Lady Bird Lake. “Lake Dances” was featured
in Arts + Culture Texas, Arts Journal, and Dance Magazine.
Kathy committed her professional life to dancing, teaching, choreographing, presenting,
mentoring, and advocating for modern dance and dancemakers. She performed in her own
works for many years and also danced for Kate Warren and Kay (Frannie) Braden. Kathy co-
founded, along with Kate Warren, Hamrick/Warren, a professional modern dance school in
residence at Café Dance, where she continues to teach two multi-generational modern classes
each week. She was also on faculty at Florida State University, Stephen F. Austin State
University, The University of Texas, St. Edwards University, and Austin Community College. As
Artistic Director of Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company, she taught at professional
conferences, provided professional development for educators, directed artist residencies for
high schools and universities, and served as a mentor for Austin Emerging Arts Leaders. She was
a guest speaker/artist for the University of Texas, Texas State University, Texas A&M University,
Del Mar College, the Texas Dance Educators Association, Round Rock ISD, Fort Bend ISD, and
the American College Dance Association, among others.
