Alisha Jihn

Education

• MFA, Dance, The Ohio State University
• MA, Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling, Columbia College Chicago
• BA, Dance and Asian Studies, St. Olaf College

Biography

ALISHA JIHN | 靳書怡 (she/her) is a dancer, maker, and board-certified dance/movement therapist. Her choreography is grounded in ideas of hybridity and intercultural experiences reflective of her identity as a Taiwanese-American raised in the Midwest. Alisha has presented her work at the Asia Pacific Dance Festival (Honolulu, HI), RADFest (Kalamazoo, MI), Dance City Festival (Detroit, MI), Cleveland Dance Festival (Cleveland, OH), OhioDance Festival (Columbus, OH), Dance City Festival (Detroit, MI), Hamlin Park Theater (Chicago, IL), and DanceLAB MKE (Milwaukee, WI). 

As a performer, Alisha is currently a collaborator with Benjamin Roach (Athens, OH) and has performed as a company member with Wild Space Dance Company (Milwaukee, WI), and Danceworks Performance MKE (Milwaukee, WI). She has danced in works by Abby Zbikowski, Momar Ndiaye, Jade Charon, Alexandra Beller, and stilgo dance + tech.  

Alisha is a Visiting Assistant Professor in Dance at UW-Milwaukee. She previously taught at Denison University and facilitated dance for memory care with Perennial Movement Group (Columbus, OH). She is a 2026 recipient of the Individual Excellence Award in Choreography from the Ohio Arts Council. Alisha has been commissioned to create choreography for dance companies including Dance Playhouse (Grand Haven, MI), and for students at Denison University and The Ohio State University. Alisha was a Fulbright Fellow in Taiwan researching cross-cultural approaches in dance/movement therapy. She holds degrees from St. Olaf College, Columbia College Chicago, and The Ohio State University.  

Recent & Selected Works

Awards

2026 Individual Excellence Award in Choreography, Ohio Arts Council