Kelli Sharp

Chair and Associate Professor of Dance Science

Dr. Kelli Sharp is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Dance in the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine. She also serves as the co-vice chair for research in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the UCI School of Medicine.

Sharp’s mission is to contribute to the emerging field of dance science, advancing dancer health, wellness and education, while making discoveries in the dance world that can translate to other populations. With a background in physical therapy, basic science and clinical research, along with a lifelong interest in dance and a deep curiosity about movement patterns, Sharp is uniquely positioned to bridge the sciences and the arts.

The Sharp Lab takes a multidisciplinary approach, integrating clinical neuroscience into the study of dance, while also using dance as a therapeutic tool in the rehabilitation of disease and injury. She builds a strong teaching program that emphasizes dance rehabilitation grounded in empirical evidence guided by her research.

Her research focuses on two central themes. The first is “movement science,” which applies principles from biomechanics, motor learning and neural plasticity to enhance injury prevention, motor control and physical performance. The second is the use of movement therapies to treat individuals with neurological disorders, such as using dance training to help rehabilitate people with brain injuries. The Sharp Lab continues to advance research in these areas while building collaboration and communication between the arts and sciences.

Smith JA, Tain R, Sharp KG, Glynn LM, Van Dillen LR, Henslee K, Jacobs JV, Cramer SC. Identifying the neural correlates of anticipatory postural control: A novel fMRI paradigm. Hum Brain Mapp. (2023) Jul; 44(10):4088-4100. DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26332.

Sanders, Q., Chan, V., Augsburger, R., Cramer, S.C., Reinkensmeyer, D.J., Sharp, K., (2022). Feasibility of home hand rehabilitation using music glove after chronic spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord Series and Cases 8. DOI: 10.1038/s41394-022-00552-4.

Tando T, Horiuchi S, Yu HJ, Luk A, Russell JA, Sharp K, Yoshioka H. (2021) Quantitative MRI analysis of the talocrural and talonavicular joints in ballet dancers. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. March 12;25(1): 38-45. DOI: 10.12678/1089-313X.031521f.

Horiuchi S, Yu HJ, Luk A, Rudd A, Ton J, Kuoy E, Russell JA, Sharp K, Yoshioka H. (2020) T1rho and T2 mapping of ankle cartilage of female and male ballet dancers. Acta Radiologica. Feb 6. Oct; 61(10):1365-1376. DOI: 10.1177/0284185120902381.

Lakes, K.D., Sharp, K., Grant-Beutler, M., Neville, R., Lopez-Ortiz, C., Sunnico, R., Ho, D., Schneider, M., Sawitz, S., Paulsen, J., Caputo, K., Haddad, F., Lu, K., Aminian, A., & Radom-Aizik, S. (2019). A six-week therapeutic ballet program improved gait and inhibitory control in children with cerebral palsy. Frontiers in Public Health – Children and Health. Sep 3; 116(36):17690-17695. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00137.

Sharp KG, Gramer R, Kim S, Page SJ, Cramer SC. 2017. Increased Brain Sensorimotor Network Activation After Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury. Journal of Neurotrauma. Feb;34(3):623-63 DOI:10.1089/neu.2016.4503.

Onishi, K., Karimi, D., Hata, J., Newcomb, R., Cramer, S., Sharp, K. G., Reinkensmeyer, D. J., Adcock, E. M. (2016). The Badges Program: A Self-Directed Learning Guide for Residents for Conducting Research and a Successful Peer-Reviewed Publication. MedEdPortal. DOI:10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10443.

Sharp KG, Duarte J*, Gebrekristos B, Perez S, Steward O, Reikensmeyer DJ. 2015. Robotic Rehabilitator of the Rodent Upper Extremity (RUE): A system and method for assessing and training forelimb force production after neurological injury. Journal of Neurotrauma. DOI: 10.1089/neu.2015.3987.