Iris Ridley is a London-based freelance dancer, choreographer, and movement therapist working across contemporary, improvisational, and therapeutic practices.

Raised in Northumberland, England, Iris relocated to the United States in 2016 to attend Wesleyan University, where she graduated magna cum laude in 2020 with a degree in Dance and Anthropology. During her time at Wesleyan, she choreographed dynamic group works exploring themes including ritual, repetition, and body-focused concerns.

Iris went on to receive a Master of Science in Dance/Movement Therapy from Sarah Lawrence College in 2023. She subsequently worked for three years as a dance/movement therapist with adults and adolescents experiencing chronic mental health conditions within New York City's public inpatient psychiatric system.

Alongside her therapeutic practice, Iris maintained a dual role as an artist and therapist in New York City, working as a freelance dancer and choreographer/collaborator with NYC-based artists across immersive installations, concert dance, and site-specific works. Her work has been presented at the Red Pavilion and Brooklyn Art Cave, and she has performed at venues including Mark Morris Dance Center, Green Space, Dancewave, and Spoke the Hub, among others.

Inspired by movement as a universal medium for storytelling, Iris seeks to draw out raw and authentic emotional narratives through her own creative work and in collaboration with artists and group participants. Her practice is particularly interested in mental health, the mind-body connection, and the intrinsic power of shared movement to foster community and inspire social change.