Remembering
Dr. Kelli Sharp
November 19, 1975 - October 16, 2026
The UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts (UCI Arts) is deeply saddened to share that Dr. Kelli Sharp, associate professor and chair of the Department of Dance, died on Oct. 16, 2026. For nearly three decades at UC Irvine, she brought dance and medicine together in the belief that movement could help people heal. She led with warmth and a fierce conviction in what the arts can make possible, and she made every person she met feel seen.
Her passing is an immense loss to UCI Arts, and to the many communities across UC Irvine she helped bring together. She was a tour de force, a heart-forward leader and someone with a profound magnetism that made anything feel possible. In addition to chairing the Department of Dance, Sharp directed the UCI Center for Medical Humanities. She co-directed the iMove Lab at the UCI Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center and served as vice chair for research for physical medicine and rehabilitation at the School of Medicine.
This page is a place to remember Kelli, share what she meant to you and carry her legacy forward.
Share a Message or Memory
We are gathering messages in honor and remembrance of Dr. Kelli Sharp. Whether you knew her as a chair, professor, researcher, mentor or friend, we invite you to share a memory, a story or a few words about what she meant to you.
Messages submitted through the public link may be shared on this page and at Kelli's memorial.
To send a message to her family only, please use the private link.
In Her Memory
Remembering Dr. Kelli Sharp
A tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. Kelli Sharp, whose nearly three decades at UC Irvine bridged the worlds of dance and medicine. A dedicated educator, trailblazing researcher, and compassionate leader, Sharp transformed lives through her belief in the healing power of movement.
In Lieu of Flowers
In lieu of flowers, Kelli’s family requests that donations in her memory be made to Access Mammoth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing inclusive outdoor recreation opportunities for people of all abilities. (Photo credit: Kelli Sharp)
Obituary
To read the family's obituary for Dr. Kelli Sharp in The Register-Herald. (Photo: Kelli Sharp)
Finding Support
We know this loss is felt deeply across our community. Support is available for students, faculty and staff, and we encourage everyone to care for themselves and one another. (Photo credit: Kelli Sharp)
