Merry Lynn Morris, Dancer/Choreographer

Merry Lynn Morris serves as a resident choreographer for REVolutions Dance and performs as well. Merry Lynn holds a Masters of Fine Arts degree in dance performance and choreography from Florida State University.  She is an instructor/professor in the dance program at the University of South Florida, and serves as the Academic Advisor for the School of Theatre and Dance.  Her background experience and training in dance includes extensive classical ballet training expanded by undergraduate and graduate study in various modern dance techniques/styles and other dance forms.  Merry Lynn’s early professional performance background includes performance and study with the Tampa Ballet.  She also serves as an adjunct faculty member in dance at the University of Tampa, and regularly choreographs for their faculty dance concerts.  Merry Lynn seeks out interdisciplinary opportunities in which her movement background and expertise can be utilized and expanded.  She enjoys opportunities to utilize dance in diverse, integrative, and therapeutic ways.  She began exploring the venue of “mixed-ability dance” 5 years ago, and as caregiver to a disabled father for the past 19 years, her interest and awareness in disability needs has been ever-present.  Ms. Morris is currently working on an innovative collaborative project with the USF College of Engineering to develop a performance mobility device and (wheelchair) enhancement to allow individuals with and without disabilities innovative and interactive movement possibilities.  The new chair design would be ideally suitable for many dance performance realms which may include stage, social settings, and other choreographic/theatrical venues (http://rdc.arts.usf.edu). REVolutions Dance has been working closely with Merry Lynn and the USF Engineering Department in the development of the project and the testing of various designs and concept ideas.