Karen Clippinger

Karen Clippinger, MSPE, received her master's degree in exercise science from the University of Washington in 1984. She is a professor emerita at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), where she taught functional anatomy for dance and dance science courses. She spearheaded the development of the bachelor's degree in dance (option in dance science). Outside of CSULB, she taught anatomy or kinesiology for dancer credit courses at University of Calgary (2000), Scripps College (1999),...See more

Karen Clippinger, MSPE, received her master's degree in exercise science from the University of Washington in 1984. She is a professor emerita at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), where she taught functional anatomy for dance and dance science courses. She spearheaded the development of the bachelor's degree in dance (option in dance science). Outside of CSULB, she taught anatomy or kinesiology for dancer credit courses at University of Calgary (2000), Scripps College (1999), and UCLA (1995-1998). Prior to her academic career, Clippinger worked as a clinical kinesiologist for 19 years, including at Loma Linda University Medical Center, where she helped develop the medical program for performing artists. She has worked with hundreds of dancers and performers, including members of Pacific Northwest Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Mark Morris Dance Group, Bill Evans and Company, Alwin Nikolais, and Cirque du Soleil. Clippinger also consulted for the U.S. Weightlifting Federation, U.S. Race Walking Team, California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and the Danish Wounded Warriors Project. Clippinger is a renowned international presenter who has given more than 450 presentations related to kinesiological considerations in Pilates, dance, and fitness. Her many dance presentations include faculty in-services for Cornish College of the Arts, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet as well as presentations for dance students at the American Dance Festival, Texas A&M, University of Calgary, and Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers. Clippinger has written numerous articles, three chapters, and the second edition of this text. She coauthored Pilates Anatomy with Rael Isacowitz. She served as a founding coeditor in chief of Journal of Dance Medicine and Science (1996-2005) and in 2021 received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. See less