Koosil-ja, the choreographer, studied with Merce Cunningham. Since 1986, her works were presented in NY by The Kitchen, NYLA, PS122, Performing Garage, Danspace Project, Lincoln Center, Central Park SummerStage, Whitney Museum, Japan Society. Nationally: Columbia College Chicago, MANCC, Jacob's Pillow, American Dance Festival, Contemporary Arts Center, Dance Umbrella, Diverseworks, Jumpstart, Walker Arts Center, University of Wisconsin, On The Board. Internationally: Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Germany; iDanse, Turkey; and European Dance Development Center, Holland, Germany, and Portugal, and the Mexico government and Asian Cultural Council Japan residencies. Koosil-ja received the “Bessie” Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, ACC Fellowship, and President Award LMCC. She taught and gave lectures at MIT; Flying-Circus-Project, Singapore and Vietnam; Rikkyo University Tokyo; University of California Riverside; and Sarah Lawrence College. She received four NEA Choreographer's Fellowships and five NYFA Fellowships and held a Master of Science degree from NYU. She performed with The Wooster Group and alternative rock band BOSHO.