Brendan Drake is a choreographer, educator, and researcher. Their work incorporates movement, text, and sound experimentation to interrogate notions of vanity, rage, faith, humiliation, pleasure, and sexual power dynamics. Critics have described their choreography as “a glorious exploration of the body at its extremes” (Brooklyn Rail) and “hilarious and sobering: a way to say the unutterable” (Culturebot). Brendan was a 2017-2018 Fresh Tracks Artist at New York Live Arts and, in Fall 2025, became the inaugural recipient of the DC Dance Network Choreographers Commission. They have been awarded grants and residencies from the Brooklyn Arts Fund, FCA, CUNY, BKSD, Monira Foundation, The Tank, and Chez Bushwick. Brendan’s recent work has been presented in NYC at Kestrels, Danspace Project, Judson Church, The Brick, La MaMa, PAGEANT, Joe’s Pub, and AUNTS, and at JrHigh and the Fowler Museum (LA), The Dance Complex (Boston), and Dance Place (DC). Brendan also choreographed campaigns for Adidas and Kate Spade and was the movement coordinator for editorial shoots at Vogue, Porter, V, and Elle Magazines. They have been on the faculty at UCLA and George Washington University and have recently guest-taught at Columbia University, UMass, Black Light Summit, Skewl, and Peridance. BFA – UMass Amherst MFA – UCLA
