Awards & Media
Baynes' work has been funded and or featured by a number of organizations known for art and innovation such as TED.com and the National Endowment of the Arts.
Photo by Amber Mott
Grants, Scholarships, & Awards
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In Summer 2024, Baynes was awarded a Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) grant of $5,000.
Additionally, Baynes was awarded a $1,000 grant from an anonymous donor for philanthropic work in the arts. This award was applied towards pursuit of a Master of Education with a concentration in Arts and Learning at HGSE.
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Recipient of the 2022 Tier 1 Artist Career Empowerment Grant from Salt Lake City Arts Council with $15,000 awarded by the National Endowment of the Arts. Awarded for a project focusing on the intersection of choreography, collaboration, and community engagement.
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“Outstanding Teacher” Award (Shared Recipient) 2022, 2024
The Ballet West Faculty was awarded YAGP’s “Outstanding Teacher” Award at both the 2022 and 2024 Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Finals in Salt Lake City.
Both years that the faculty were given this award, Baynes was part of the full-time faculty, regularly instructed all students involved, and presented Contemporary choreography at the event on behalf of Ballet West.
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Recipient of the 2022 Career Advancement Scholarship grant of $1,500.
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Recipient of the 2021 Professional Development Scholarship for $600.
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Recipient of a 2023 full scholarship unlimited membership for Dance ChurchⓇ.
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Four-time recipient of the College of Fine Arts Fine Arts Fees Grant for up to $6,000. Semesters Awarded:
Fall 2017
Spring 2018
Fall 2018
Spring 2019
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Academic Scholarship - U Futures Scholarship for $1,000 (2019)
Merit Scholarship - Emma Eccles Jones Fine Arts Leadership House Endowed Scholarship for $1,500 (2016-2017)
Merit Scholarship - Herbert & Elsa Michael Scholarship from the University of Utah Department of Modern Dance for $2,000 (2015)
Academic Scholarship - Honors College Freshmen Academic Achievement Scholarship of $8,000 (2015)
Dean's List (Fall 2015)
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Invited Commencement Speaker - Spring 2022
Outstanding Senior in Dance (shared recipient) - Spring 2015
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Recipient of the 2011 David Faber Award and $1,000 savings bond. Annual award given by Holocaust-survivor David Faber for excellence of character, integrity, and friendship.
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Work Study Partial Scholarship - Salt Dance Festival. Salt Lake City, UT. Summer 2019.
Work Study Partial Scholarship - LINK Intensive by SALT Contemporary Dance Company. Salt Lake City, UT. Summer 2019.
Work Study Partial Scholarship - Salt Dance Festival. Salt Lake City, UT. Summer 2018.
Full Merit Scholarship - Red Rock Dance Festival with Taylor II. St. George, UT. Summer 2017.
Work Study Partial Scholarship - American College Dance Association. Boulder, CO. Spring 2017.
Work Study Full Scholarship - LAJAMARTIN Workshop. Salt Lake City, UT. Fall 2018.
Full Merit Scholarship - Limón West Coast Summer Intensive. Fullerton, CA. Summer 2014.
Full Merit Scholarship - Limón West Coast Summer Intensive. Fullerton, CA. Summer 2015.
Articles & Interviews
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Profile on Dancer Jessica Baynes for Art Meets Fashion Magazine Issue 07. Published online and in print.
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2024 Interview with UtahVoyage Magazine for “Hidden Gems: Local Businesses and Creatives” column
https://voyageutah.com/
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Utah Daily Chronicle. “Artist of the Week”. Released both online and in print in 2020.
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Jessica Baynes was named one of three “Highlighted Alums of the 2010s” in the Spring 2019 issue of University of Utah Magazine (formerly Continuum Magazine).
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“Healing Through Dance: Dance & Community Entrepreneurship”. Annual Issue Released in Print in 2018.
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Opinion: “Pacific Relations Crucial for Multicultural Group”. Baynes photo on page B7. Published Feb 12, 2015.
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University of Utah Featured Alumni Stories. Interview released 2019.
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The Artifice Podcast Season 4. Episode 81. Released 2020.
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Season 1. Episode 56. Released 2022.
Conferences
Conferences at which Baynes has presented research, lectured, or served as a panelist.
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Weekly ballet classes for individuals with diverse neurological conditions: a collaboration between physical therapy, medical, and dance students. Research Poster, Lead Author.
International Association of Dance Medicine & Sciences (IADMS) 2021 Annual Conference
Denver, CO, USA - October 2021
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Introducing Ballet into Clinical Settings. Invited Lecturer - 2022 Professional Development Conference
Including Musicians in Dance Spaces. Lead Presenter - 2021 Annual Conference
Globalizing Accessible Dance Education: Equity & Inclusion as the Starting Point. Panelist - 2021 Annual Conference
How Communal Ballet Education Integrated Into Physical Therapy Enhances Recovery. Lead Presenter - 2020 Annual Conference
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Making the Exclusive, Inclusive, One Step At A Time. Lead Presenter - 2019 United Nations Civil Society Conference
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How Ballet Integrated Into Physical Therapy Enhances Recovery. Speaker - 2019 TEDx Salt Lake City Conference
Online Videos
TEDx Talk
“Ballet is commonly considered an elite form of movement, reserved for those with a specific body type. But when introduced into the context of medicine, ballet can optimize physical, mental, and emotional healing. In this inspiring talk, Jessica Baynes shares her personal experience fusing ballet with physical therapy to optimize her recovery from a Traumatic Brain Injury and how this unique form of movement can help others do the same.”
Healing in Motion Dance Documentary
Documentary filmed and edited by University of Utah Ballet MFA candidate, James Wallace. Music by Michael Wall of SoundFORMovement. Video created with funding from the University of Utah College of Fine Arts for the University of Utah School of Dance. Footage released with the permission of Healing in Motion Dance class participants and the L.S. Skaggs Patient Wellness Center at the University of Utah.
“A truly elegant storyteller and passionate artist”
— The Daily Utah Chronicle
“[Jessica] thinks out of the box about art and what it means in our society"
— Emily Merrell, Vocal Artist, Artifice Podcast Host