Meet Our Founder, Hear Our Story

Our Story

When our founder, Harper Addison, left San Francisco to move back to the South she knew it was the right move for her. What she also knew is that it would take some work to stay connected to the dance community she had built in the Bay and in New York City and a lot of hard work to stay motivated in her own creative practice. So, The Iteration Project was born. It began with the need to connect with others outside of Knoxville, Tennessee and to be accountable to a continued creative practice, to forge collaborations with new friends, and help others make the transition to live where they want without losing their unique artistic voices.

It felt important and relevant that there be a community of creatives that neither depends on nor requires physical presence in the same location, that holds members accountable to a creative practice and challenges them to expand, explore, and amplify their voices. Art doesn’t just happen in the big arts centers. It happens everywhere and it’s our mission to make those voices heard, to support those artists in their work, and to be a resource for those making art where resources are scarce. We are fortunate to have the technology that makes this possible and our hope is that no matter where you are or how you create, you can and will be a part of this and share yourself with all of us. Welcome to The Iteration Project.

Our Founder

Harper Addison currently lives in Knoxville, TN where she  is the Founder and Director of The Iteration Project. Additionally, she is an adjunct faculty member at Walters State Community College and is on faculty at Studio Arts, Dancers’ Studio, and Van Metre School of Dance. She continues to choreograph and perform with Go! Contemporary Dance Works as well as for independent projects.

As a dancer, she has appeared with Robert Moses’ KIN, Copious Dance Theater,  The Gamut Dance Company, The Ailey Student Performance Group,  and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. She has had the privilege to work with such choreographers as Dan Wagoner, Robert Moses, Daniel Clifton, Sidra Bell, Camille A. Brown, and Lauren Slone among others.

As a choreographer, her work has been presented at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Princeton University, Davidson College, Florida State University, and various venues around San Francisco. Most recently she has set work for Go! Contemporary Dance Works, Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble, and Circle Modern Dance.

Before relocating to Knoxville, she was a choreographer in residence at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and the company manager for ODC’s teen company, Dance Jam. She has also worked as an intern, intern coordinator, and festival coordinator at the Vail International Dance Festival in Vail, Colorado for six years and as publicist and outreach specialist for the ODC Teen and Youth Program.

She holds an MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Florida State University, a B.S. in Biology and minor in Southern Studies from Davidson College, and a Certificate in Dance from The Ailey School.