Biography

ILA CONOLEY PALADINO began her studies at the Dance Center of Colorado Springs and continued her training at the Alabama Dance Theatre.  There, Ila performed in classic, neoclassical, and contemporary ballets. She earned her BA in dance from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her MFA in dance from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.  Ila returned to Colorado Springs as the chair of the Pikes Peak Community College Dance Department.  She performed with the Ormao Dance Company and Push/Don’t Pull Dance Theatre as well as numerous independent choreographers. Ila has choreographed for a myriad of companies and schools such as The Moving Collective, Flatlands Contemporary Dance Theatre, Texas Technical University, Dragon Theatre Productions, and Ormao Dance Company.  Ila choreographs concert dance, site-specific work, dance theatre, and community modern. Ila is an instructor of modern dance, ballet, dance appreciation, dance history, and composition and has taught courses and master classes at various institutions throughout the nation such as Colorado Mesa University, New Mexico State University, University of Texas El Paso, University of Kentucky, and Savannah State University. Currently, Ila is faculty at the Kentucky Center Governor’s School for the Arts teaching composition and chairing the department. During the year she teaches at Local Motion Studio in Alexandria, Virginia. Ila enjoys exploring the many facets of dance as a freelance artist and as director and choreographer of ICONography Dance.