Kristin Best-Kinscherff
Associate Professor, Head of Dance
MFA University of Iowa, 2006
[email protected]
618-650-1039
Kristin Best-Kinscherff is an associate professor and head of dance at SIUE, as well as the director of the University Dance Company. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor of Science in Theater and Dance from SIUE.
As a dancer, Kristin has performed with The Big Muddy Dance Company, Duarte Dance Works, Dancers in Company- the University of Iowa’s premiere touring ensemble, aTrek Dance Collective, and The Slaughter Project. She is a founding member and choreographer of Turn of Change Dance Collective and has served as the Assistant Artistic Director, choreographer, and dancer with Leverage Dance Theater (formerly aTrek Dance Collective). She has danced and choreographed in opening acts for hypnotist Tony Z, comedian Phyllis Diller, the Nokia Sugar Bowl, Macy’s Thanksgivings Day parade, London New Year’s parade, as well as on ESPN for the National Dance Team Championship.
As a teacher, Kristin has been on faculty at the University of Iowa, Lewis and Clark College, Lindenwood University, and SIUE. She has taught at the Impulse Summer Dance Intensive, M2 Dance Center, Turning Pointe Academy of Dance and various dance studios in the area. She has also served as a head instructor, choreographer, and judge for the Universal Dance Association.
Her choreography has been presented at the American College Dance Association’s Gala Concert, SIUE Summer Showbiz, FAME the Musical (SIUE), Drowsy Chaperones (SIUE), National Dance Week, Midwest Dance Festival, Grand Dance Fest, Dancing in the Streets, the Gala/Extravaganza for Body Worlds 3 at the St. Louis Science Center, the Victoria Ballet Theater, The University of Iowa, SIUE, Lindenwood, Tour Dance Company, the Universal Dance Association’s summer curriculum, as well as many award winning routines for area dance teams.
Kristin’s latest endeavor is a certification in Autism Movement Therapy and the development of a dance and fitness curriculum for the special needs population. This curriculum, Dance for Everyone, was accepted into the 2017 national conference with the National Dance Educators Organization.
