Chelsea Hilding, M.F.A. (she/they) is a dance researcher and pedagogue specializing in diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in ballet. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Dance at Texas Woman’s University under Dr. Rosemary Candelario and Dr. Adesola Akinleye where she received the [Wo]Mentoring in Graduate Education two-year grant for her work in abolitionist pedagogy in ballet. She is on the Board of Directors for Jacksonville Dance Theatre where she was previously a Company Dancer and Rehearsal Director under Rebecca R. Levy. Chelsea earned an M.F.A. in Choreography from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro under Janet Lilly and thesis co-chairs Dr. Ana Paula Höfling and B.J. Sullivan. There, she was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Associate Award for the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Cone Award for Special Projects in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and the Kristina Larson Graduate Dance Award. She has presented her research in inclusive ballet pedagogy at the National Dance Education Organization, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and guest taught at the University of Texas at Austin, Jacksonville University, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Chelsea is the former Director of Adult Programming at Greensboro Performing Arts, Resident Choreographer for the St. Augustine Ballet under Luis Abella, Artistic Director for Braided Light Dance Project, and owner of Screen Door Dance Room, an adult dance studio in Jacksonville, FL. She additionally developed inclusive dance programming for National Deaf Academy, Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, Ballet for Wheelchair Users at Friend’s Home West, and the Florida Prison Education Project. Chelsea is the former Company Manager of Gibney Company. She is certified in Pilates from Balanced Body University, Progressing Ballet Technique, and is an RYT-200 yoga instructor.