Dan Burkholder – Artist, Choreographer, Improviser, Performer, and Teacher

Daniel Burkholder choreographs, improvises, teaches and designs lights for theatrical performances. Additionally, he produces and hosts act/re/act – an online podcast dedicated to exploring improvisation by interviewing extraordinary artists – exploring these themes through conversations.

He holds an MFA from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and BA from Sarah Lawrence College; as well as training with Moving on Center/School for Participatory Arts. Additionally, he is Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner.

Early Life and Education

Daniel Burkholder hails from Pennsylvania. An award-winning choreographer, improvisational performer and teacher. His work spans theatrical performances, site-specific events, immersive media projects and screendance performances. Daniel holds both an M.F.A in Performing Arts: Dance from University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (2011) as well as an M.A in Dance from American University (2002).

He was one of the pioneering black and white artists to embrace digital technology by developing the digital negative process in 1992 and later the platinum/palladium print, which combined traditional darkroom control with cutting edge digital technology.

He is an expert in both traditional darkroom photography and digital imaging, having written multiple books on both subjects. He has inspired thousands of photographers to embrace new digital techniques and approaches.

Personal Life

Daniel Burkholder is an award-winning choreographer, improviser, performer and teacher renowned for his theatrical performances, site-specific events, immersive media works and screendance work. His achievements have earned him two Metro DC Dance Awards as well as fellowships from Maryland State Arts Council.

Burkholder designed and constructed numerous Victorian structures in Lynchburg’s historic districts, such as his 1853 home on Daniel’s Hill as well as several of his other structures. These remain visible today in Lynchburg’s historic districts.

Burkholder was also an artist, with several pieces displayed at Lynden Sculpture Garden. His wife, sons and grandchildren survive him; he is interred at Miller Cemetery in Middlefield. Burkholder’s family still owns his original homestead property as well as keeping important historical records such as Christian Burkholder’s Family Bible which contains invaluable pages of genealogical data.

Professional Career

Dylan Bernard is an artist and digital designer who graduated with her B.F.A from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2019). She has collaborated with artists including Maria Gillespie, Tim Russell, Pat Reinholtz, Joelle Worm and Dan Schuchart.

She is also a dancer and movement-based artist, earning her BFA from UWM’s Peck School of the Arts for dance performance and choreography. In performance with Joe Goode, Simone Ferro, Esther Baker-Tarpaga among others.

Burkholder practices the Feldenkrais Method and mindfulness, creating an embodied screendance practice that explores human-nature relationships using improvisation, somatic modalities, and images captured from stationary cameras. She has pioneered this approach at Lynden Sculpture Garden during an artist residency, exploring its changing landscapes throughout all four seasons.

Achievement and Honors

Dan Burkholder has earned numerous honors throughout his career. These include awards from the International Center of Photography, International Museum of Contemporary Art and others. Furthermore, he was elected into membership with Texas Photographic Society.

His work has been featured at venues including the John F. Kennedy Center, Dance Place and other locations. Additionally, he serves as both choreographer and Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practioner.

He has made an important donation to the University of Texas at Arlington music department by creating a jazz scholarship fund, enabling young musicians to pursue their musical careers. Furthermore, he continues giving back through lecturing at UTA. Jill Skupin Burkholder is his wife; they enjoy motorcycling together and exploring their new home in Palenville New York together.

Net Worth

Dan Burkholder is not only renowned as a jazz musician but is also an accomplished dancer, having worked alongside such names as Nancy Stark Smith, Scott Wells, KJ Holmes, Sharon Mansur and Cyrus Khambatta as well as Maida Withers and Katie Duck – among many others.

He has completed zero transactions in United Bancshares Inc over the last five years – both open market and private transactions – with an average cost per share of approximately $1,250 for these transactions.

Burkholder made a significant mark as both an educator and philanthropist, giving a substantial portion of his wealth away. For instance, he created the Daniel C. Burkholder Endowment at The University of Texas at Arlington to benefit students enrolled in music courses – his love of music will remain alive through its impactful legacy for years to come.