Celia Rowlson-Hall

Rowlson-Hall grew up in Urbanna, Virginia, and began dancing at age five. She graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2006 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance. Rowlson-Hall has cited Pina Bausch’s dance theater and the British dance company DV8 as early influences on her career in dance and choreography.

Rowlson-Hall moved to New York after finishing college and initially worked in theater dance and choreography. She was mentored by New York choreographer Faye Driscoll, and won a Bessie Award for performance in Driscoll's 837 Venice Blvd in 2009. She first became involved in filmmaking in 2008, when director Ray Tintori hired her to choreograph the music video for MGMT's song "Electric Feel". In 2010, she directed her first short film, Prom Night, in which she also cast herself; it was nominated for a Grand Jury Award at South by Southwest. She went on to direct two further short films, The Audition (2012) and Si Nos Dejan (2013). In 2013, Rowlson-Hall began working as a choreographer on the HBO series Girls; she also choreographed Girls creator Lena Dunham in a video for Vogue magazine. She has choreographed commercials for clients including Lee Jeans and Kate Spade New York, and music videos for artists including Alicia Keys and Sleigh Bells. She was named one of Filmmaker magazine's "25 New Faces of Independent Film" in 2015. Rowlson-Hall's first feature film, MA (2015), is a modern retelling of the story of the Virgin Mary in which Rowlson-Hall plays the lead role. The film, which Rowlson-Hall funded via Kickstarter, was screened at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival and AFI Fest. In 2017, she created the short film (The [End) of History Illusion] for Miu Miu as the 14th installment in their Women's Tales series. Rowlson-Hall portrays adult Sophie in the 2022 film Aftersun. In 2025, Rowlson-Hall served as choreographer for The Testament of Ann Lee. In interviews, she mentions how her own religious upbringing in the Christian Scientist movement informed her approach to the film's choreography. Although she no longer participates in the religion, she described the film as an opportunity to revisit her relationship with prayer through choreography. In the same year, Rowlson-Hall created and directed SISSY, a dance-theater work that premiered at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. The cast included dancers and actors such as Marisa Tomei and Lucas Hedges. This production was her first time back on stage after nearly two decades of working within the film industry.

In September 2018, Rowlson-Hall married Mia Lidofsky, a filmmaker whom she had met in 2013 when they worked together on Girls. Rowlson-Hall and Lidofsky have one son.

• Year — Title — Work — Note • Director — Producer — Choreographer • 2014 — Manhattan Love Story — 2 episodes • 2014-2017 — Girls — 4 episodes • 2017-2018 — Strangers — Executive — 3 episodes • 2018 — Orange Is the New Black — Episode; "Who Knows Better Than I" • 2019 — The Other Two — Episode; "Pilot" • Tales of the City — 3 episodes • John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch — Television movie • 2021-2022 — Ziwe — 10 episodes • 2022 — The Staircase — 3 episodes • TBD — Constance — Television film; Completed

• Year — Title — Work — Artist(s) — Album • Director — Choreographer • 2008 — "Electric Feel" — MGMT — Oracular Spectacular • 2011 — "Love In Motion" — SebastiAn, Mayer Hawthorne — Total • 2016 — In Common — Alicia Keys — Here • 2019 — "Cry Cry Cry" — Coldplay — Everyday Life • 2020 — "Win It" — Lola Kirke • |2025 — "Love Takes Miles" — Cameron Winter — Heavy Metal

• Year — Title — Role — Note • 2010 — Prom Night — Short film • 2015 — Ma — Ma • The Nutcracked — Clara — Short film • A Morning Light — Ellyn • 2022 — Aftersun — Adult Sophie • 2026 — The Drama — Dance Instructor

• Year — Title — Work — Note • Director — Writer — Producer — Editor — Choreographer • 2010 — Prom Night — Co-director • 2013 — The Audition — Short film • 2014 — Cover Girl — Short film • 2015 — Molly Takes a Trip • All These Voices — Short film • Ma • The Nutcracked — Co-director — Short film • 2017 — The Incredible Jessica James • 2018 — Tommy Battles the Silver Sea Dragon • 2020 — Taxi! — Short film • Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia • 2021 — After Yang • Birds of Paradise • 2024 — Smile 2 • 2025 — The Plague • The Testament of Ann Lee • Merv • 2026 — The Drama