Photo by David Heisler
Dorothy O’Shea Overbey is a dancer, choreographer, musician, educator, and producer of multidisciplinary performing art, film, and immersive theatre.
Born in Alaska and raised in Austin, Dorothy grew up training at Ballet Austin and studying classical piano with University of Texas Professor Emeritus Amanda Vick Lethco. After earning a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in Philosophy from Southern Methodist University, Dorothy danced for ballet and contemporary dance companies in New York, Colorado and California before returning to Austin and joining the faculty of the Department of Theatre and Dance at UT Austin.
Dorothy is a partner/owner of First Street Studio, as well as the Founder and Director of Red Nightfall Productions, which creates films, live productions, and immersive experiences that seek to amplify the voices of emerging artists. Dorothy is also the co-founder of Austin Community Ballet, an organization of dancers in the Austin area that offers professional-level ballet classes in an open, collaborative, non-hierarchical environment. Dorothy is also a dancer, choreographer and Artistic Advisor with Ventana Ballet.
While in New York, Dorothy did introductory training at the Atlantic Theatre School, and appeared in commercials, indie films, and theatrical productions.