Joa Hug is an artist-researcher and doctoral candidate at the Performing Arts Research Centre of the University of the Arts Helsinki/Theatre Academy. His doctoral research investigates the impact of Body Weather performance training on the performer and explores its epistemic potential as a medium of artistic research. Hug studied History, Political Science and Sociology at the Universities of Freiburg and Oregon/Eugene (US), and holds a B. A. in Dance/Choreography (School for New Dance Development/Amsterdam) as well as an M. A. in Artistic Research (University of Amsterdam). Working as independent performer since 2002, he has trained and performed extensively with Body Weather Amsterdam. He co-founded AREAL (Artistic Research Lab) Berlin, where he lives with his family.