Christian Alexander Phenix Warner is an interdisciplinary performing artist, choreographer, sound designer, and educator whose career bridges concert dance, musical theatre, and film.

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Christian has performed with renowned companies including Sidra Bell Dance New York, Boca Tuya, Owen/Cox Dance Group, GauDanse, Ponybox Dance Theatre, slowdanger, Kayla Farrish/Decent Structures, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, and TU Dance. While with TU Dance, he was a core collaborator in Come Through, a groundbreaking partnership with Grammy Award-winning band Bon Iver. The project, hailed as Dance Magazine’s 2018 “Coolest Collaboration,” was presented at major venues including the Hollywood Bowl and The Kennedy Center. Christian also contributed backing vocals to “Naeem” on Bon Iver’s critically acclaimed album "i,i."

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As a choreographer, Christian's work has been commissioned by Triskelion Arts, Performa/Dance, Ballet Co.Laboratory, Owen/Cox Dance Group, the BlackLight Summit, McKoy Dance Project, Jeremy McQueen’s Black Iris Project, and New York Times bestselling author Michael Levin. In 2023, he was awarded a Heinz Endowment Creative Development Award for his evolving choreographic methodology Locating Lucidity, developed in residency with Attack Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA. He is the 2025 recipient of a Princess Grace Award in Choreography.

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Originally from Houston, TX, Christian began training at the Humphrey’s School of Musical Theatre under Carole McCann, Shay Rodgers, and Rozie Curtis. His professional stage career began at age nine in the national tour of Oliver! (NetWorks, 2003), followed by Disney’s The Lion King (2005), performing as Young Simba in both U.S. tours and later on Broadway (2007).

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Upon returning to Houston at age 13, he completed his training at Humphrey’s (mentored in dance by Peggy Hinojosa) and at the High School for the Performing & Visual Arts, where he studied with Luanne Carter and Janie Carothers and performed works by Larry Keigwin, Troy Powell, and Thang Dao. In his senior year, he was named a 2012 YoungArts Modern Dance Finalist and participated in YoungArts Week in Miami.

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Christian earned his BFA in Dance from Point Park University in 2016, performing repertoire by Robert Battle, Jessica Lang, José Limón, Dwight Rhoden, Luke Murphy, Mark Morris, Bennyroyce Royon, Jessica Hendricks, and Sonya Tayeh. In his final year, he received a 2016 Dizzy Feet Foundation Scholarship and performed in a Stacey Tookey trio at the Celebration of Dance Gala hosted by Adam Shankman and Nigel Lythgoe. His film credits include Church, starring Darius McCrary and the late gospel legend Daryl Coley.

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A dedicated and evolving educator, Christian is committed to cultivating more holistic, trauma-informed dance practices across professional and academic spaces. He has taught master classes and workshops at institutions including Carnegie Mellon University, Point Park University, James Madison University, and the University of Minnesota.

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Notable Mentors & Educators:
Rozanne Curtis • Shay Rodgers • Kenny Ingram • Peggy Hinojosa • Jennifer Edwards • Garfield Lemonius • Sidra Bell