Michael O’Connor received his BFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah where he was the first student to receive an assistantship for artistic dance research. He presented his work at the National Conference of Undergraduate Research twice as well as opened for the keynote speaker Stephan Koester. He then worked with Cie. Willi Dorner from 2003-2010 in a variety of works and assisting in the creation and performance of Bodies in Urban Spaces in over 30 cities. Michael is the Vienna branch facilitator for the Field Method, an organisation based in NYC, which through Tanzquartier Vienna gives artists a place to show work and receive feedback. He was listed in the 2008 BalletTanz Magazine as the 'dancer to watch' in Vienna for his own choreography and performance in his piece entitled "a waiting dog dies." In 2010 Michael received a Turbo Residency scholarship at ImPulsTanz and in 2011 Michael premiered his new work "You are the subject of my seeing" at TanzquartierWien (TQW). He worked with Deborah Hay on "NEWS" as part of the Solo Performance Commissioning Project which premiered in a new adaptation in 2011 at ImPulsTanz by his drag persona "Jai Jai Sincere."
In 2012, Michael was guest artist faculty at Arizona State University teaching creative practice based of anthropological research and began developing the duet "A General Theory of Love" with Brandon Gonzalez. His research on the intersection of neuroscience and dance will be presented at the Festival of Art as Research in Ottersberg (Germany) and he continues his neuroscience and dance research with Dr. Guido Orgs in June at Tanzquartier Vienna. Michael has also worked with Paul Wenninger, Barbara Kraus and Georg Blaschke.