Phil’s area of expertise is orientalism and Asian representation in the performing arts, specifically in ballet and opera. As a researcher, he has served as a fellow at Dance/USA, Drexel University, the French National Art History Institute (INHA), the Manhattan School of Music, the New York Public Library, NYU, and Harvard University, where he is currently a visiting professor.

He has given lectures on dance history and orientalism in the performing arts at 92Y, Arizona State University, Berklee College, Cal Arts, Dance/NYC, Drexel University, Columbia University, Chapman University, the University of Chicago, Film at Lincoln Center, Florida Dance Education Organization, The Guggenheim Works & Process, Goucher College, Harvard University, Indiana University, Louisiana State University, the University of Minnesota, the Museum at FIT, NYU, Oxford University, Point Park University, Princeton University, Purchase College, St. Paul School, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UPenn, West Virginia State University, and Yale University.

Phil has curated exhibitions at the Houghton Library at Harvard, “Fantasy Meets Reality: The Far East Tour 1925-26” at Jacob’s Pillow, and "Chasing the Dragon: China in the Western Imagination on Display at Drexel’s Fox Historic Costume Collection” at Drexel University, “Fire Island and Dance: The Forties” at Fire Island’s Carrington House, and an upcoming exhibition on oriental dance costumes at the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

He has also given talks and trainings for arts organizations like Atlanta Opera, Ballet West, Boston Ballet, Boston Lyric Opera, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Jacob’s Pillow, the Joffrey Ballet School, the Merce Cunningham Trust, the Metropolitan Opera, Michigan Opera, the Museum of Chinese in America, Oregon Ballet Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, Opera America, The Royal Academy of Dance, The Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and School, Scottish Ballet, Skate Canada, and the Washington Ballet.

As a teacher, Phil was honored to return to his alma mater Carleton College as the Benedict distinguished visiting professor of dance in Fall 2022, and has since taught at Harvard in 2024 and 2025 and Rutgers in 2026.

Giving a lecture on Ruth St. Denis at INHA in Paris