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Elizabeth Yochim MM on beach 2020.jpg

Elizabeth Yochim is a dancer, multi-media performance artist, teacher, filmmaker, and fine art specialist.
 
She creates performances and workshops that combine movement, music, storytelling and the mythic imagination, and she is passionate about creating community rituals that mark the thresholds of life: birth, death and union.
 
She received certification as a death midwife and guides individuals and communities to memorialize the dead in their own intimate and personal ways.

Elizabeth travels the world offering impromptu street performances as the Angelbird, an all-white winged creature and has performed from the Royal Mile of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to the edge of the Vatican City in Rome; from the streets of Berlin to Sacré-Cœur atop Montmartre in Paris; from beneath the northern lights in Iceland to the red rock country of Southern Utah. She is a founding artist in residence with the Nomadic School of Wonder.
 
She has a degree in art history from the University of Michigan and as an art world professional and former gallery director, she founded Yochim Arts, a fine art appraisal and art advisory firm based in Los Angeles.
 
She currently studies Commedia dell’arte with VJ Foster at the Actor’s Gang in Culver City, California.
 
This year she is presenting a multimedia performance at the Parliament of the World’s Religions Conference, A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom & Human Rights and hopes to publish her children’s book, The Flight of the Angelbird.

Upcoming Events

  • Diversity and Unity in the Arts
    Diversity and Unity in the Arts
    Wed, Aug 16
    Chicago
    Aug 16, 2023, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM CDT
    Chicago, 2301 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
    Aug 16, 2023, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM CDT
    Chicago, 2301 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
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  • Parliament of World Religions: A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom & Human Rights
    Parliament of World Religions: A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom & Human Rights
    Wed, Aug 16
    Chicago
    Aug 16, 2023, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM CDT
    Chicago, 2301 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
    Aug 16, 2023, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM CDT
    Chicago, 2301 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
    "Flight of the Angelbird: what the birds teach us about freedom". Dancer, performance artist, and filmmaker, Elizabeth Yochim shares a live multi-media performance combining video projection, dance, and music.
    Share
  • ANGELBIRD Premiers at Hollywood Fringe Theatre Festival
    ANGELBIRD Premiers at Hollywood Fringe Theatre Festival
    Sun, Jun 09
    Hollywood Annex Underground
    Jun 09, 2019, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
    Hollywood Annex Underground, 1314 N Wilton Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA
    Jun 09, 2019, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
    Hollywood Annex Underground, 1314 N Wilton Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA
    Combining mesmerizing movement, rapt storytelling, and the singing of poems and hymns, Elizabeth tells the tale of a young chickadee who grew up with a fascination for winged beings. Answering the persistent call to freedom, the ANGELBIRD takes flight!
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CV

PERFORMANCE – Select

Memorial for the dead, Bombay Beach Biennale, Bombay Beach, California. March 2023


Winged harp, Serpentine, Hyde Park, London, England. September 2022


A love letter to Beōnd: in three acts, Cancun, Mexico. July 2022


Memorial for Steve Shigley at the edge of the Salton Sea, Bombay Beach, California. March 2022


Interference. Site-specific collaborative performance at Windhorse Relations, Artist in Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Ivins, Utah, October 2021

In memoriam. Julie Van Eman Yochim. Venice, CA, May 2021

Belonging, Site-specific collaborative performance at Windhorse Relations, Artist in

Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Ivins, Utah, May 2021

Tree Song, dance video project in collaboration with poet, Don Norman. Kalamazoo, Michigan August 2020

Silent Action, Solor, street-based, durational performance, Los Angeles, California, February 2020

Storytime, Live performance, startup LA, Venice, California, February 2020

fALL FORWARD, Commissioned live performance, Yarger Projects, Produced and Directed by Elizabeth Yochim with Don Norman, Poet; John Tegmeyer, Clarinet; Katie Malia, Dancer; Charlotte Smith, Dancer;Shana Betz, Reader; Walker Babington, Reader.

Opening the door, Site-specific collaborative performance at Windhorse Relations, Artist in

Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Ivins, Utah, November 2019


Day of Wonder, Site-specific performance of the Angelbird celebrating the Feast of Mabon,

Artist in Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Redwood Forest, Santa Cruz, California,

September 2019


Angelbird, Solo theatrical show, Underground Annex Theatre, Hollywood, California, July

2019


Take Flight, Site-specific performance Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Union Station

Los Angeles, California, May 2019


ESSENCE, Site-specific performance, Writer, Dancer, Creative Director, Producer, The Fine

Arts Building, Los Angeles, California, April 2019


You Go to the Desert to Find Spirit, Site-specific performance at Windhorse Relations, Artist in

Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Ivins, Utah, April 2019


Woman Bird Horse, Site-specific performance at Windhorse Relations, Artist in Residence,

Nomadic School of Wonder, Ivins, Utah, December 2018


The Art of Walking Upright, Artist in Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada, December 2018


Angelbird Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, 2018


Love in the Anthropocene: The Great Auk & Angelbird, Artist in Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada, May 2017

Birdspotting, Los Angeles Art Show, Los Angeles Convention Center, January 2016


Fire & Ice, Artist in Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Deplar Farm, Iceland, December 2016 


A Walk in the Woods, Site-specific collaborative performance, Artist in Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Woodstock, New York


Day of the Dead & Flight School, Site-specific collaborative performance and public spectacle, Founding Artist in Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Sante Fe, New Mexico 

The Angelbird, Public interventions, performances and pop-up play workshops from Los Angeles to Berlin, 40 cities throughout Germany, Poland, Italy, France, Iceland, Canada and Croatia. 2013-present


Birdspotting, Los Angeles Art Show, Los Angeles Convention Center 2016


The Bird and The Baker, Pop-up dining experiences combining performance art and food, Luftraum & Entretempo Kitchen Gallery, Berlin, Germany, August 2015


Yael David, Art Performance, Redcat Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

48 Stunden Neukölln, street-based performances, Berlin, Germany 2014


Busker Bus, Wroclaw, Poland 2013


Le Petite Festival, Dubrovnik, Croatia 2013


The Power of Play, University of Southern California, TEDxUSC, Steven's Institute for Innovation, 2012


Vortex Immersion Dome, Los Angeles Center Studios, Los Angeles, California, 2012


I Knew that Once, Lead Street Prophet, Turning the Wheel Productions, 2010

Nearly Invisible, Persona, Turning the Wheel Productions, 2009

Max 10, Solo performer, Electric Lodge, Venice,  2007, 2008, & 2009 & 2014.

8plusfred, movement theatre improvisation group, Los Angeles, CA, 2005-2007  Performances include SOMAfest, Los Angeles, September 2007, and JUMP on the Art, Treehouse Gallery, Los Angeles, 2005.

Art Song, Live performance with Tim Yarger at Timothy Yarger Fine Art Gallery, Beverly Hills, CA, June 2007. 

TEACHING ARTIST (Lead Facilitator) – Select

For in old time, the soul was entirely feathered, Virtual Day of Wonder, Google, November 2021


Summer of Wonder, Google, Nomadic School of Wonder, August 2020 

Resident Teaching Artist, Nomadic School of Wonder at Redwood Forest, Santa Cruz, California, September 2019; and Windhorse Relations, Ivins, Utah;  November 2019

The Art of Walking Upright, Artist in Residence, Nomadic School of Wonder, Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada, December 2018

Girl’s Fly International Conference, Claremont College, May 2018 (Keynote / Live Performance / Workshop)

The Angelbird, Pop-up, community, street-performance based Flight School workshops in 8 countries including United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Poland, Italy, France, Croatia, Iceland, 2013-present

Heartdance, Turning the Wheel Productions, Los Angeles, California; Boulder, Colorado; Wilmington, North Carolina; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Andover, Massachusettes, 2005-2012

Five-day Academic Residencies: University, High school, Middle school, Elementary and Assisted living facilities with Turning the Wheel Productions in multiple cities Los Angeles, California; Boulder, Colorado; Wilmington, North Carolina; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Andover, Massachusettes, 2005-2012

Dancing Our Way Home, An Intergenerational Facilitation Workshop and Summer Camp with Turning the Wheel Productions at selected venues including Sunrise Ranch, Loveland, Colorado; Shambala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado; Estes Park, Colorado, 2005-2012

Bleicher/Golightly Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, Participlay Workshop

Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, Community workshops and flash mob experiences, Dancing Momdalas and Flight School

UNIVERSITY MASTERCLASSES

The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Master Class, Department of World Arts and Culture 

The Hammer Museum, The Murphy Sculpture Garden, Participlay

California Lutheran College, Ventura, CA, The Representational Art Conference

The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Participlay & Beyond the BA

EXHIBITIONS – Select

Human Geography, Oxaca, 2021

Office Hours, Beta Main, November 1-November 20, 2018

EDUCATION 
Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Post Undergraduate Studies

University of Michigan, Literature, Science and the Arts, B.A. History of Art with specialization in Italian Renaissance Art

American Society of Appraisers, Tested and Accredited in Fine Art Appraisal, Washington D.C.

TRAINING
Master Teacher and Expert Facilitator in Turning the Wheel’s Intergenerational Dance/Theatre Facilitation Model The Body Now 
Luna Dance’s Summer Institute at Loyola Marymount, 2012
Five Rhythms Community Dance in Los Angeles with Jo Cobbett, Michael and Anneli Skelton, 2002-present
100 hours certification of Awakened Heart, Embodied Mind Yoga Training with Hala Kouri and Julian Walker
Dance/Movement Therapy, Center for Movement Education and Research, Loyola Marymount University
Tamalpa Experience Workshop: Dialogues between Life and Art with Daria Halprin, Tamalpa Institute, Kentfield, CA.

Interlochen Center for the Arts, Interlochen, Michigan, 1989-1991.

Kalamazoo Ballet Company, Company member, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 1987-1991   

WORK
Founder, YOCHIM ARTS, Los Angeles, California, 2003-present
Founder, Participlay, Los Angeles, California, Creator, since 2012
Director of International Exhibitions, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Beverly Hills, California, 2003-2011
Director and Lead Teacher Turning the Wheel Productions, National non-profit, 2005-2012

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