Based in Brooklyn, New York, Jay Beardsley is a nonbinary dancer, artist, and educator. Since graduating Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020, Jay has performed with artists including Ballez, The Merce Cunningham Trust, Douglas Dunn + Dancers, Liz Gerring Dance Company, Tabula Rasa Dance Theatre, PERFORMA, Johnnie Cruise Mercer, and their own performance project Katerina & Jay. They have additionally collaborated with Sidra Bell Dance New York and MICHIYAYA Dance. They have performed choreography by Trebien Pollard, Michelle Thompson-Ulerich, Anna Maria Häkkinen, and Sinclair Emoghene, among others. Jay has expanded their performance studies with artists and groups such as The Cunningham Trust, Trisha Brown Dance Company, American Dance Festival, Kristopher K.Q. Pourzal, and Sidra Bell.
As a choreographer, Jay engages queer/trans narratives and emerging technologies through performance events and media arts. Their work has been produced by organizations such as 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). Jay is most recently a 2025 artist-in-residence with WADE PRIDE residency. Learn more about Jay and their continuing work on their website, jaybeardsley.com.
impossible task Inspired by the written works of Sarah Ahmed, two dancers will investigate the strangeness of intimacy. The piece is built through the layering of an experimental movement score titled impossible task that was developed through work with AI.
“My creative history with New Dance Alliance goes a way long. Since my friend, Chivas Sandage brought me to New Dance Alliance to rehearse in early 90’s, the place has become a part of my creative life. The long time existence of the studio and Performance Mix Festival are vital to the artists who seek and explore deep into their process. Whenever I step into the studio, it’s a new space with a lot of memories. I lie down on the floor, listen to my body, and I dance. It is valuable. The time in the space nurtures my practice and artistic vision. Karen’s vision of Lift-Off residency, feedback sessions, providing peer to peer connections are more significant than ever. It has been helping us to get through 2020 and we are going into 2021.”
– Nami Yamamoto
New Dance Alliance
182 Duane Street
New York, NY 10013
All venues are wheelchair accessible.
