Jay Beardsley is a dancer, multimedia artist, and educator currently residing in Brooklyn, NY.
Among the artists that they collaborate with are Liz Gerring, Christopher Williams, Douglas Dunn + Dancers, Ballez/Katy Pyle, TheRedProjectNYC/Johnnie Cruise Mercer, GREYZONE/Lindy Fines, Cornfield Dance/Ellen Cornfield, and MICHIYAYA Dance. They have performed choreography by Merce Cunningham, Anna Maria Häkkinen, Douglas Dunn, Katy Pyle, Trebien Pollard, Michelle Thompson-Ulerich, and Sinclair Emoghene. Their work with artists goes beyond performance and includes grant writing, arts administration/company management, production, community organizing, and the creation of media and content. They currently work with nora chipaumire, inc. as project and company manager. Organizations including Movement Research (New York City), Proteomedia (New York City), MOMENTA (New York City), Performance Mix Festival (New York City), BADDANCE (New York City), Dance Place (Washington, D.C.), and Dogtown Dance Theatre (Richmond, VA) have produced choreographic and media work by Jay. Jay teaches theater and movement in many communities including the NYC DOE school systems and is a certified GYROTONICS teacher.
After attending Virginia Commonwealth University, Jay received the Bobby Chandler Award for Theatre as well as an award for Outstanding Choreographer in 2020. Along with many other esteemed faculty members and guest artists, Jay studied with and performed works by Jenna Riegel, Trebien Pollard, André Zachery, MK Abadoo, Christopher K. Morgan, and Scott Putman. Jay has also expanded their performance studies through numerous workshops and intensives with other artists and groups, such as the Trisha Brown Dance Company, Kyle Marshall, the Merce Cunningham Trust, American Dance Festival, Kristopher K.Q. Pourzal, and Sidra Bell.
Throughout their various practices, Jay moves from queer spiritualism and trans embodiment.
Artist Statement
I am an artist engaging the mediums that have been poured into me: dance and movement, media and film, text and poetry.
born in 1998 in the metropolitan area known as the DMV, i am a product of rigorous classical training as much as the artists and revolutionaries of politics and culture that also created my upbringing. my work acknowledges the depth of experience in and of the body, relationality, rigor, and inquiry. How does a spirit stay alive?
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I am determined to be in my body, in relationship, and in question.