Jay Beardsley

Background

About Jay Beardsley

A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University's Dance and Choreography department, Jay is a performance-based artist, choreographer, filmmaker, administrator, and teacher. Jay takes a research-centered approach to dance, dance education, and dance administration, implementing somatics, experiential teaching methods, and deep inquiry as cornerstones of their holistic dance ideology. Jay believes every form and practice of dance is deeply intertwined, and is interested in the integration of research and philosophy with creativity, experimentalism, and performance. Jay is an experienced dance instructor with a demonstrated history of excellence in the performing arts industry. As an educator, Jay seeks to cultivate mind-body connection and awareness while balancing strength with release. Their class utilizes extensive floorwork, focusing on sourcing movement from spinal articulation and sequentiality in the body. Meditative practices are used to create an environment that is focused on internal experience within form. In addition to creative and teaching skills, Jay has experience in arts administration, arts production, and management. Jay has a demonstrated history of excellence in choreography, customer service, Microsoft Suite, communication, administrative assisting, and Adobe Suite. Jay is available for commercial and fine art performance, choreography, and dance instruction. Jay is also experienced in videography, photography, sound design, video editing, and multimedia work. Jay Beardsley is a white, nonbinary dancer, multimedia artist, and teacher currently based in Brooklyn, NY. They currently work with Ballez/Katy Pyle, TheRedProjectNYC/Johnnie Cruise Mercer and MICHIYAYA Dance, among other freelance projects. Their work with artists is multifaceted, spanning movement, choreography, community organizing, content and media creation, and grant writing. Jay’s choreography and media work has been produced by organizations such as Movement Research (NYC), Proteomedia (NYC), Dance Place (Washington, D.C.), and Dogtown Dance Theatre (Richmond, VA). Jay is a teacher of movement and theater at various local studios and within the NYC DOE schooling systems. Jay attended Virginia Commonwealth University, graduating in 2020 with an Outstanding Choreographer award and the Bobby Chandler Award for Theatre. During their time at VCU, Jay studied with and performed works by the likes of Jenna Riegel, Trebien Pollard, André Zachery, MK Abadoo, Christopher K. Morgan, and Scott Putman.