Jessica Denson is a DC-based, interdisciplinary performing artist, arts administrator, and educator. She received her BA in Dance from the University of Maryland, College Park, and her MFA in Dance from The George Washington University (2017 Maida Withers Impact Award). From her graduate research, she created and co-developed the workshop, State:Trait – Supporting Compassion for Mental Health through Community-Based Somatic & Movement Explorations, with Shatiea Blount (LCSW-C, LICSW, CPC) which was presented at Loyola University-Maryland’s “Shades of Resilience: Mental Health in Communities of Color Conference (2018),” twice at the DC Coalition for the Homeless, and Hillcrest Children and Family Center. Jessica first joined Dance/USA in 2017 and co-authored the Survey of Dance Artists in (John S. and James L. Knight Foundation) Cities with Mina Matlon, then helped build the 2018 Los Angeles and 2019 Cleveland Annual Conferences, and is now the Board Liaison and Office Manager. She is a local Fieldwork facilitator and has been a teaching artist at Sitar Arts Center since 2014. From 2010-2019, she was a house manager at Blues Alley Jazz Supper Club and was thankful to be a featured vocalist on three evening-length engagements. Jessica’s directorial debut, Little White Lies with Contradiction Dance Theatre, was voted audience “best dance” selection at the 2019 Capital Fringe Festival. Performance and design experience: Contradiction Dance Theatre, Victor Provost, MK Abadoo, HollyBass360, darlingdance, sculptor/performance artist Nick Cave, Lesole’s Dance Project, and various other projects. She credits her first teacher, Alison Miller of the Ballet Academy, for inspiring her lifelong commitment to dance.
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