Meet Jess | Best Artistic Direction & Best Contemporary Choreography Nominee
MEET JESS
best artistic direction & best contemporary choreography nominee
rva dance awards
When I was a little girl, I had dreams of being a dancer. A professional dancer. That’s all I wanted. My childhood bedroom was full of dance posters, and pointe shoes, and pictures from years and years of recitals. I knew that I wanted to go to college to study dance, and then from there go on to audition all over the country and the world to dance with professional companies.
During my undergraduate years at James Madison University, all of that changed. On June 19th, between my freshman and sophomore years, I was involved in a terrible car accident. I suffered extensive injuries, and the doctors didn’t know if I would make it through the first night. But, I did. After countless surgeries, and weeks in the hospital, my mother asked the spine specialist: “Will she dance again?” His answer was, “I’m more concerned with her being able to walk. Not dance.” So, there it was. An ultimatum from the universe. And for anyone that knows me well, I am about as stubborn as they get. I was not ready to accept “just walking.”
Fast forward, and now, though the majority of my upper body is rebuilt with titanium, I'm able to dance. I finished JMU, ready for the next step in my adventure. But at an incredibly young age, I had to make the decision to switch my train of thought, to re-evaluate what my life meant as a dancer. I can still dance, and I do nearly every day. I teach dance to students that range in age from 7 to adults. I choreograph and direct an amazing company of dancers, RVA Dance Collective, who keep me inspired everyday. I am setting work on some of the most talented youth I’ve seen in this city and beyond, at the Center for the Arts in Henrico, and the Specialty Center for the Arts at Thomas Dale, Trillium Performing Youth Company in West Virginia, and CORA Youth Dance Project in Brooklyn, New York. I’m not done dancing yet. But I know my body has an expiration date in terms of being able to continue as a “dancer.”
When I moved to Richmond, I immediately jumped into working in the arts nonprofit sector. My first job was at Richmond Ballet. And then from there I went on to work at VCU, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. I knew somewhere inside of me, that learning the intricacies of the nonprofit sector, would keep me relevant in the arts industry. And I also knew that my clock was ticking in terms of the physical limitations the car accident put on my body.
Finally, there was Dogtown. I will never forget the night Rob Petres, founder at Dogtown invited me to dinner to “chat.” When he offered me the position, I was floored, confused, excited and ready. I accepted on the spot and started making the necessary changes in my life to go on this new adventure. Dogtown is everything to me. Watching the tremendous growth we’ve seen over the last five years since I became director, I have truly come alive. The same ferocity of spirit that got me through the car accident filled inside of me, and I knew I was going to do whatever it takes to make Dogtown successful and something amazing for the dance artists in this community.
Best Contemporary Choreography: I am honored that the RVA dance community views my choreography in such a positive way. I’ve always been drawn to fluid and free form movement, it just feels good on the body. The choreographer’s work is the art of inventing and arranging movement, as well as choosing dramatic structures to organize it or present it to an audience. I am so grateful for this recognition and that the RVA dance community sees value in my work.
Best Artistic Direction: Envisioning a show from start to finish is something I take extreme pride in doing. I strive to produce the best show possible, looking at every element possible to ensure a complete production. “Dark Side of the Moon” was the ultimate test in artistic vision and direction. There were so many components to consider, from the choreography and storytelling of Pink Floyd’s iconic album, to what to costume the dancers in to complete that story. Then the scenic elements and set design had to complement the vision, yet I wanted to create something spectacular and grandiose. The 15 foot slide, human size revolving hamster wheel that depicted the moon, and mobile boxes that became another set of dancers moving within the choreography all had to fit within the context of the piece visually, contextually and logistically. The finishing touches to the production were made in the lighting design. I broke the conventional proscenium stage with the lighting and choreography, utilizing the entirety of the stage space to build a new world within the production. “Dark Side of the Moon” was one of the hardest shows I’ve produced, but ultimately when it all came together, it was the most satisfying moment of my choreographic career.
Best Collaboration: RVA Dance Collective is now in its 14th professional season, but from the grassroots of the company forming, collaboration has been at the forefront of our artistic vision and purpose. Myself and the co-founder, Danica Kalemdaroglu, have worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between artists of all mediums in the city of Richmond. RVA Dance Collective was formed under the assumption that great art cannot survive or thrive without the spirit of collaboration, RVA Dance Collective’s artistic goal is the union of all forms of art in the Central Virginia area. “Dark Side of the Moon” was an amazing collaborative feat, bringing over 30 dancers together from three dance companies in the city, and a visual artist to help create the scenic elements of the production. The entire process from start to finish demonstrated the epitome of collaboration and shared artistic sensibilities. I would not have been able to create a work like “Dark Side of the Moon” without the heart and soul of all the collaborators: Dogwood Dance Project, RADAR Dance Company, Mike Keeling and the amazing staff at Dogtown Dance Theatre, that helped bring it to life.
a little fun fact about jess..
I LOVE cooking and good wine! And I have 10 cats. :) :)