Madyson Barbain

Teaching Artist

Madyson Barbain is a New Orleans–based dance artist, choreographer, educator, and licensed massage therapist whose work is rooted in movement, community, and connection. She began her dance training at Art in Motion Dance Academy and has spent more than two decades cultivating her artistry as a performer, choreographer, and teacher.

A graduate of Warren Easton High School and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), Madyson continued her studies at Tulane University, where she earned a BFA in Dance and a Liberal Arts degree in Kinesiology. Her academic and artistic training has shaped her holistic approach to movement, allowing her to explore the relationship between dance, anatomy, wellness, and education.

As a performer, Madyson has worked with Artivism Dance Company and KM Dance Project, and has performed throughout New Orleans and beyond. Her performance experience includes major festivals such as New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Miami Pride, as well as performances alongside artists including Master P and Jon Batiste. Her work as a choreographer was recognized in 2023 when she was named a finalist for the Gambit Big Easy Awards for Outstanding Choreography.

Education has become an equally important part of Madyson’s artistic practice. She joined the New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA) faculty in 2021 and has been a Teaching Artist with Young Audiences of Louisiana for five years, where her role has grown from teaching dance to contributing to professional development and arts-integrated education. She currently works with KID smART, further expanding her commitment to using the arts as a tool for learning, creativity, confidence, and community building.

In 2026, Madyson expanded her practice into massage therapy, becoming a licensed massage therapist and founding Embodied Artistry LLC. Her bodywork practice reflects the same philosophy that guides her dance career: honoring the body as a powerful instrument of expression, healing, and connection. Through massage therapy, she works to support dancers, educators, athletes, and individuals in developing greater awareness and care for their bodies.

Whether she is performing, choreographing, teaching, mentoring, or providing bodywork, Madyson strives to create spaces where people feel seen, connected, empowered, and free to move. Her work embodies the intersection of artistry, education, wellness, and community—and above all, her deep belief that movement is a language, a tool for learning, and a pathway to connection.