Kent De Spain is a movement and multimedia artist who has taught master classes and workshops in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America and is the recipient of several major grants including a Pew Fellowship in the Arts for Choreography. He is internationally recognized for his writing, documentation, and teaching in movement improvisation, including his essay in the book "Taken by Surprise," his feature-length documentary film, A Moving Presence: Ruth Zaporah and Action Theater, and essays in Contact Quarterly, Choreographic Practices, and other journals.

"De Spain is a master storyteller. More than that, he is a philosopher who uses his exceptional analytical skills to get to the heart of what defines postmodern improvisation as improvisation. This quest - a personal passion for De Spain - energizes the book." --David Gere, co-editor, Taken By Surprise: A Dance Improvisation Reader

"Improvisation is the alchemy of giving form to the present moment. Contained within are essentially master classes in addressing some of the varied mysteries and issues that can emerge from the practice of improvisation. De Spain's book shines a bright light on how these eight groundbreaking artists wrap words around their processes of inquiry and their experiences of the embodied mind in motion." --Eric Handman, Assistant Professor of Dance, University of Utah

"I began to read and realized I had started my next dance. De Spain's invitation to your own practice is waiting. De Spain, with his curiosity and engagement, has brought eight master artists to our studio doors." --Bebe Miller, Artistic Director, Bebe Miller Company