A man with long, wavy hair and a beard, wearing a blue sweatshirt and mustard-colored pants, sitting on outdoor concrete steps with fallen leaves, smiling at the camera.

Andrew Merrell

Rehearsal Director

Andrew Merrell (he/they/she) is a queer, thirty something, Californian. They hold a BA in Dance from California State University Long Beach and an MFA in Dance Creative Practice from Saint Mary’s College. They currently teach technique at Shawl-Anderson Dance Center and several courses in the graduate and undergraduate programs at Saint Mary’s College, ranging from technique to dance history.  

They have been commissioned to choreograph works for several universities and high school/youth ensembles including: Saint Mary’s College, Santa Ana College, Cerritos College, Shawl-Anderson Youth Ensemble, Shawl-Anderson Youth Co., Marin Academy, College Prep, J. Economedes High School. Andrew has presented their own work with dance collective Stranger Lover Dreamer as well as under their own name throughout the SF Bay Area.​

Andrew has danced professionally with Keith Johnson and Dancers, Holly Johnston’s Ledges and Bones, Rogelio Lopez and Dancers, Catherine Galasso, Abigail Hosein’s ahdanco, Nina Haft and Co., Davalos Dance, Deborah Slater Dance Theater, Paufve/Dance, Rebecca Johnson and collaborators Nol Simonse and Christy Funsch. 

Andrew feels lucky and grateful to continue to live the dancer/choreographer/teacher life, collaborating/performing/creating dance art!!!!! They embrace slashes and overuse exclamation points.