Manfred Fischbeck

Visiting Lecturer in Theatre Arts

Manfred Fischbeck is the artistic and executive director of Group Motion Multimedia Dance Theater. Originally from Berlin, Germany, he studied literature and theater at the Freie Universitaet and was professionally engaged as an actor in theater and film before he moved to dance and joined the Modern Dance Company Gruppe Motion Berlin. In 1968, he relocated with Brigitta Herrmann and Hellmut Gottschild, co-founders and co-directors of Group Motion, to Philadelphia. Since then, for more that 40 years, Manfred has been a vital force of the Philadelphia arts community, choreographing, composing, performing, teaching and touring with Group Motion locally, nationally and internationally. Together with co-founder and co-director Brigitta Herrmann, he created and conducts the famous Group Motion Workshop, held every Friday night at the Group Motion Studio and in week-long retreats at various centers throughout the U.S. and abroad. Other contributions to contemporary dance include innovative work in the areas of multimedia and technology and collaborations with national and international artists such as choreographers Wally Cardona, Rennie Harris, Masaki Iwana, Akiko Kitamura, Kenshi Nohmi, Carol Brown, Oscar Araiz and Silvana Cardell; composers Phil Kline, Andrea Clearfield, Tim Motzer, George Crumb and David Ludwig; visual artists Peter Rose, Harold Jacobs, Warren Muller, Joseph Wong and others. He and Group Motion have traveled to Germany, France, England, Cyprus, Argentina, Japan, Taiwan, Poland and Lithuania. He serves on the faculty of the University of the Arts as adjunct associate professor in the School of Dance, and as a lecturer in the Theater Arts department at the University of Pennsylvania. He has received various grant awards and fellowships, including funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Pew Charitable Trusts and other foundations.