photo: Josiah Kennedy
Artistic Director
His work as a choreographer, performer, and director spans ballet, classic modern, post-Judson, street jazz, dance theatre/performance art, opera, classical and contemporary theatre, and musical theatre. Joshua has enjoyed dance roles in masterworks by Balanchine, de Mille, Petipa, and Robbins, and a diverse range of contemporary works as well. Joshua is presently directing the low-residency MFA in choreography, creative writing, interdisciplinary arts, theatre directing, directing and choreography for musical theatre, and visual arts at Wilson College.
His book, Introduction to Modern Dance Techniques, (October 2011: Princeton Book Company), is available in French and Italian translations (Gremese Editore). Additional dance writing has appeared in DanceTeacher and DanceSpirit magazines, covering a breadth of topics from ballet and contemporary techniques to choreography pedagogy, grantsmanship, and dance in rural America. Joshua has interviewed major artists and educators in ballet and contemporary dance including: Ruth Andrien, Keith Lee, Mary Lisa Burns, Judith Jamison, Albirda Rose, Elizabeth Auclaire, Karin von Aroldingen, Robby Barnett, Sara Rudner, Sara Neece, Sally Fitt, Jennifer Scanlon, and Robert Swinston. As a scholar, he considers race, gender/sexual identity, economics, and the appearance of liminal ritual in concert dance.
Recognized as a master teacher, Joshua has been a guest teacher or speaker for the American Dance Festival’s Paul Taylor Project, the DanceTeacher Summit, the American College Dance Festival, various universities, private and pre-professional studios, and high school dance programs. His academic appointments include the dance or theatre programs at Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Harvard University (where he received a Certificate of Distinction in Teaching), Suffolk University, Lake Superior State University, and Shenandoah University. Working alongside some of dance’s greatest artists, Joshua has served as a rehearsal director/dance captain for concert dance and musicals. For instance, at Harvard University, he worked with Trey McIntyre on a new ballet, with Heather Watts on her stagings of Balanchine’s Apollo and Serenade, and Christine Dakin on her staging of Graham’s Night Journey.
Joshua’s political experience includes serving as a White House staff member for the Clinton Administration, and board member service with statewide social justice/civil rights organizations.
He holds a BFA and MFA in dance choreography and performance (Shenandoah Conservatory), and a BS in mass communications (Shenandoah University). Joshua is a proud recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation’s service award (Shenandoah), is a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honor society, and is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.