Performing Art – Philadelphia

Jess Adams is a dance artist from Oreland, Pennsylvania who graduated with a BFA in Dance from The University of The Arts in Philadelphia in 2016.  Most recently, she traveled through the Panama Canal to Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Columbia, Mexico, Alaska and Canada as a dancer and aerialist for Norwegian Cruise Line's Jewel (October 2016-June 2017). On the ship, Jess performed 9 shows a week including two major production shows, Band on The Run and Le Cirque Bijou directed by Ricky Whitfield and Jen Rapp Pearl.   In the past, Jess performed works by artists such as Sidra Bell, Robert Battle, Ronen Koresh, Gary Jeter, Shen Wei, Dinita and Kyle Clark, Wayne St. David, Jesse Zaritt, Tyger B, and Netta Yerushalmy.  In the Spring of 2016, she performed excerpts from Douglas Becker's Vile Parody and Katie Swords Thurman's Casting into The Void in Lille, France and Brussels, Belgium as one of thirteen dancers chosen for the UArts’ Touring Europe Ensemble.  Jess danced for Brian Sanders’ JUNK Snowball 2016 at Union Transfer and performed at the Manhattan Movement Arts Theater for Ballet Inc.’s showcase The Series Vol. 1 in July 2016.  She is an alumni (2015) of The School at Jacob’s Pillow where she attended social dance workshops and performed under the direction of Camille A. Brown, Eric Moncell E. Durden, Francine Ott and Adesola Osakalumi.  Jess was invited to attend the Augusta Heritage Festival of 2015 at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, WV, studying American vernacular dance.  Jess taught a variety of dance classes aboard the Norwegian Jewel and she has choreographed and taught at studios including Edge Dance Company 12th Street Gym and Stars Dance Center (Stars Studio of Dance and Performing Arts) since 2010. Today she continues her education as a versatile artist and athlete by training as an aerialist at Secret Circus of Philadelphia. Jess created and presented her own work including Subluxation, Solo Studies and a several dance films since 2014.  Growing up from a Hip-Hop background and expanding to Ballet, Jazz, Aerial and more, Jess explores her own Contemporary/Jazz-fusion movement and aspires to be an artist of thriving versatility.