Elise Gaugert joined the Mark Morris Dance Group as Assistant Front Desk Manager in May 2011, just as the Dance Center approached its 10 year anniversary. In her tenure, Elise has built an Operations Department that supports all functions of the 40,000 square foot Mark Morris Dance Center, including the administrative office space, the Dance Center’s 9 dance studios, the Wellness Center, a fitness and therapy suite of spaces, and the 3,600 square foot James and Martha Duffy Performance Space, a 166-seat theater and event space. As Director of Dance Center Operations, Elise oversees a team of four full-time and seven part-time staff who manage studio space usage, rentals, office administration, event and theater production, and visitor services.

Elise holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance and K-12 Music Education from Appalachian State University and studied vocal performance at Manhattan School of Music at the graduate level. She began her professional career as conducting assistant at the North Carolina Governor’s School and interim Choral Director at East Chapel Hill High School. Elise has toured with the Mark Morris Dance Group as a member of the Music Ensemble and teaches vocal music classes in MMDG’s Children & Teens program. A resident of Brooklyn since 2008, Elise lives in Prospect Park South with her daughter and husband. Since 2014, Elise has been a member-owner of the Park Slope Food Coop.