Push Dance Company-- The Company

Photo by Yoram Savion

RAISSA SIMPSON (Artistic Director) is a native of Cleveland-- raised in San Jose, California-- hailed by Dance Spirit Magazine for “Reflective Contemporary Choreography”, Simpson makes vibrant dances embodying socially relevant issues. She is a recipient of the Regional Dance America (RDA) Award, San Jose State Univ.’s Peoples Choice Award, Zellerbach Family Foundation in combination with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, and Theatre Bay Area’s CA$H Grant. In 2009, she created Mixed Message with community partner 3rd St Youth Center & Clinic and media artist Marlon Sagana Ingram through the San Francisco Arts Commission Arts & Communities: Innovative Partnerships.

She holds her BFA from State University New York, Purchase (SUNY)- talent-based scholarship, subsequently attending the schools of Dance Theatre of Harlem (NYC), the Paul Taylor School (NYC).

She has toured and performed as a company member with Robert Moses Kin (2002-2007) and Joanna Haigood’s Zaccho Dance Theatre (2007-Present). Simpson has been on the faculty of Alonzo King Lines Dance Center, City Dance Studios, Alexi Zubiria’s Western Ballet, and Santa Clara Ballet; master

teaching includes Berkeley High School, UC Santa Cruz, among others. She has performed in numerous national festivals including, Jacob’s Pillow where Village Voice dance critic Deborah Jowitt noted, “Simpson dances big.”

Visit Raissa's Creativity to learn about the Push Repertory.