Upcoming Projects & Events
Education
Graduate Student, Harvard University
Jessica is currently pursuing a Master of Education (Ed.M.) degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Her program of study is Human Development and Education with a concentration in Arts and Learning. Baynes’ academic objective is to develop and refine her skills in pedagogy, curriculum design, and research in the dance field.
Expected Graduation Date: May 29, 2025
2024 Past Events
New York Finals: Youth America Grand Prix
Choreography
Choreographer & Coach
Baynes choreographed a contemporary solo on 2022 YAGP semi-finals winner Lukas Mishchenko which was selected for the 25th anniversary Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) 2024 Finals in New York, USA.
April 11-17, 2024
New York, USA
YAGP 2024 New York Finals
The Concert Hall at SUNY Purchase, Westchester, NY, USA
Photo by the LK Studio
“Into the Flow” Contemporary Concert
Choreography
Choreographer
Baynes will be setting three new choreographic works on a total of 78 dancers (59 women, 19 men) for this production.
These pieces will be performed by all Ballet West Academy Professional Training Division students (ages 16-20) and all Level 4 students (ages 11-13) for the academy’s campus-wide annual Contemporary Showcase concert.
March 14, 15, & 16, 2024
Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, Taylorsville, UT, USA
Photo by Ross Richey
Youth America Grand Prix
Award [Shared Recipient]
Outstanding Teacher 2024 Award
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 Ballet West-sponsored students who entered, and presented Contemporary choreography at the event on behalf of the company.
January 16, 2024
Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, Taylorsville, UT, USA
Photo of Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center by SL Arts & Culture
Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Finals
Choreography
Choreographer and Coach
Creating and coaching contemporary solo entry for the world’s largest student ballet competition, Youth America Grand Prix, on behalf of Ballet West.
Baynes choreographed a piece titled, “Weather Report”, which was performed by 2022 YAGP semi-finals winner Lukas Mishchenko.
January 14, 15, & 16, 2024
YAGP 2024 Salt Lake City Semi-Finals
Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, Taylorsville, UT, USA
Photo by the LK Studio
2023 Events
Contemporary Master Class at San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts
Education
Masterclass Instructor
Instructing a contemporary dance master class to the students of the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts Department of Dance.
November 2023
San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, San Diego, CA, USA
“reBloom”
Production
Director and Choreographer
Baynes recently choreographed, directed, and premiered “reBloom”— an interdisciplinary arts event awarded $15,000 by Salt Lake City Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) that offers professional programming to young patients at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, UT.
September 29, 2023
Downtown Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Sponsored by Salt Lake City Arts Council with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts
Photo by Intermountain Health
“reBloom” Screendance
Screendance
Director & Dancer
reBloom is a screendance that features choreography by Jessica Baynes and piano composition by Nicholas Maughan. Both the original choreography and composition explore themes of personal growth through the metaphor of Utah's abundant and biodiverse landscape.
Video Production: Keith Fearnow/Fearnow Media
Project Direction: Jessica Baynes
Dancers: Ashley Jian Thomson, Jessica Baynes, Joey Anderson, Cameron Mertz
Music: Nicholas Maughan
Set photography: Simon Zivny
Premiere Date: September 29, 2023
Locations: Great Salt Lake, UT, USA. Park City, UT, USA.
Sponsored by Salt Lake City Arts Council with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts
Photo by Keith Fearnow
Ballet West Academy
Adult Starter Series
Education
Program Developer, Instructor, & Administrator
Creating and launching an introductory program at Ballet West Academy for new beginners. Curriculum design by Stacey Mahan.
August 28-September 29, 2023
Ballet West Academy Trolley Corners Campus, Downtown Salt Lake City, UT USA
Photo by Beau Pearson
Current Contemporary Dance Group
Artistic Leadership
Rehearsal Director and Choreographer
Taking on the leadership position for Ballet West Academy’s second annual season of Current Contemporary Dance Group.
Current Contemporary Dance Group is an audition-based company within the Ballet West Academy, that highlights the Academy’s pre-professional students with an exceptional affinity for contemporary technique and repertoire.
Performances and programming include contemporary modern, contemporary ballet, and contemporary pointe work.
August 2023
Capitol Theatre, Downtown Salt Lake City, UT USA
Young Dancer Summer Intensive
Education
Instructor and Choreographer
Intensive for students ages 9-13 from over 10 states across the USA. Classes included ballet, contemporary, modern, conditioning, repertory, and Flamenco.
September 2023
Ballet West Academy Park City Campus, Park City, UT, USA
Photo by Beau Pearson
Ballet West Summer Intensive
Education
Resident Faculty
Teaching at Ballet West Summer Intensive for courses including
Modern technique
Conditioning for dancers
Classical Pilates
Flamenco
June-August 2023
Downtown Salt Lake City, UT USA
Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet Centre and Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Photo by Beau Pearson
Ballet West Academy
Adult Starter Series
Education
Program Developer, Instructor, and Administrator
Creating and launching an introductory program at Ballet West Academy for new beginners. Curriculum design by Stacey Mahan.
June 16-July 14 2023
Ballet West Academy Trolley Corners Campus, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Photo by Beau Pearson
“Toreadors & Maidens” in Paquita Suite
Choreography
Choreographer
Choreographing Toreadors & Maidens as a new, Flamenco work to be integrated into the classical ballet of Paquita. The cast includes 3 casts of 22 dancers onstage, 11 men and 11 women from Ballet West Academy’s Professional Training Division.
May 18, 19, & 20, 2023
Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Downtown Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Sponsored by Ballet West Academy
Photo by Ross Richey
“Emergent” Fashion Runway Show
Performance
Dancer
Live solo contemporary dance performance as part of an immersive fashion runway show, presented by Art Meets Fashion.
April 29, 2023
The Clubhouse, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Presented by the Art Meets Fashion Foundation
“Metamorphosis” Contemporary Concert
Choreography
Choreographer
Choreographing two contemporary pieces on students of the Ballet West Academy for campus-wide annual Contemporary Showcase concert, Metamorphosis.
The first piece, Echo, is a 12-dancer cast from the highest level of the program’s Professional Training Division, choreographed in collaboration with the dancers.
The second piece, So You’re A Philosopher? is a 9-dancer cast from the Academy’s Level IV.
April 18 & 19 2023
Capitol Theatre Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Sponsored by Ballet West Academy
Photo by Ross Richey
Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Finals
Choreography
Choreographer + Coach
Creating and coaching the Ballet West-sponsored contemporary solo Carmine, performed by junior division competitor Maya Cheng, for the world’s largest student ballet competition, Youth America Grand Prix.
January 2023
YAGP 2023 Salt Lake City Semi-Finals
Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, Taylorsville, UT, USA
Photo by the LK Studio
Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Finals
Choreography
Choreographer + Coach
Creating and coaching the Ballet West-sponsored contemporary solo Counterpoint, performed by junior division competitor Isabella Utgaard, for the world’s largest student ballet competition, Youth America Grand Prix
January 2023
YAGP 2023 Salt Lake City Semi-Finals
Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, Taylorsville, UT, USA
Photo by LK Studio
2022 Events
San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts (SDSCPA)
Education
Guest Presenter
Lecturing for Senior Portfolio class at SDSCPA Dance Department on dance careers after post-secondary education.
October, 2022
San Diego, CA, USA + Virtual
Fem Dance Company
Performance
Choreographer + Dancer
Selected presenter for BLOOM: The Screendance. Screendance world premiere at FEM Dance Company’s summer 2022 production, State of Flux.
August 2022
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Project sponsored by Utah Divisions of Arts & Museums
Ballet West
Education
Adult Division Manager
In addition to fulltime faculty position, additional permanent assignment to managing all adult community programming through the academy department.
Start Date: August 1, 2022
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Festival Internacional de Danza Contemporánea de la Ciudad de México
(International Contemporary Dance Festival of México City)
Performance
Dancer
Guest performing with the Mexico-based contemporary dance company Alquimia Escénica at the Festival Internacional de Danza Contemporánea de la Ciudad de México (International Contemporary Dance Festival of Mexico) in Mexico City’s city concert hall, The Esperanza Iris Theater.
Aug 2023
Teatro de la Ciudad Esperanza Iris
Mexico City, México
Teatro Físico y Danza
Residency
Student
10-day student residency in Mexico City, Mexico, studying contemporary dance in Spanish. Daily classes taken include contemporary technique, Continuum (codified contemporary method with an emphasis in floorwork), Urban dance (House), Mixed Technique (classical modern, ballet, and contemporary blend), classical ballet, dramaturgy, Psychophysical movement (acrobatics and martial arts blend), and composition.
July-Aug 2023
Mexico City, México
Ballet West & artÉmotion
Education
Resident & Guest Faculty
Teaching at Ballet West Summer Intensive and other partner programs such as:
artÉmotion Adult Ballet Summer Intensive
Ballet West Dance Exploration workshop (lead instructor)
Ballet West Contemporary workshop
Ballet West Accelerated Ballet workshop
Ballet West Build-A-Broadway workshop
and more.
June-July 2022
Downtown Salt Lake City, UT USA
Park City, UT, USA
Lehi, UT, USA
Photo by Beau Pearson
National Dance Education Organization
Conference
Guest Lecturer
Presenting research on adaptive dance for educators attending NDEO’s 2022 global professional development workshop.
July 25, 2022
Virtual
Photo by Jon Hague
SDSCPA Class of 2022 Commencement
Public Speaking
Commencement Speaker
Speaking at San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts’ Class of 2022 Graduation Ceremony
June 14, 2022
San Diego, CA, USA
“BLOOM: The Screendance”
Videoshoot
Director + Choreographer + Dancer
Directing and re-staging the choreography “BLOOM” as a screendance performance with a film crew
June 12, 2022
Great Salt Lake Salt Flats, UT, USA
Project sponsored by Utah Divisions of Arts & Museums
Photo by Keith Fearnow
“Spanish Dolls” in Coppélia
Choreography
Choreographer
Choreographing Coppélia: Dance of the Spanish Dolls, a vignette from the classical ballet Coppélia. Creating and setting material on Level II academy students.
May 27-28, 2022
Rose Wagner Main Theatre, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Photo by Beau Pearson
Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company
Education
Guest Instructor
Teaching in elementary schools across Park City School District with the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company Education & Outreach program for the 2021-22 season
September 17, 2021 - April 1, 2022
Park City, UT, USA
Contemporary Showcase
Choreography
Choreographer
Creating contemporary pieces for Ballet West Academy students in Levels 1, 5, 6, 7, & 8.
March 19, 2022
Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, Taylorsville, UT, USA
Photo by Beau Pearson
Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Finals
Choreography
Choreographer + Coach
Creating and coaching the Ballet West sponsored contemporary solo Continuum, performed by senior division competitor Karson Southworth at the world’s largest student ballet competition, Youth America Grand Prix.
February 6, 2022
Hayes Christensen Theatre Marriott Center for Dance, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Photo by Chris Moore
“Raymonda” at Ballet West Academy
Choreography
Choreographer
Choreographing the Spanish scene from the classical ballet of Raymonda and setting on Level III academy students.
January 14, 2022
Rose Wagner Main Theatre, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Photo by Beau Pearson
Ballet West
Education
Fulltime Faculty
Promotion to join leadership team of full-time faculty at the Ballet West Academy.
Start Date: January 4, 2022
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
2021 Events
Fem Dance Company
Performance
Dancer
Winter Concert at Sugar Space Arts Warehouse. Performing in the choreography, Six.
Thumbnail by Keith Fearnow.
December 3, 2021
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Photo by Keith Fearnow
San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts (SDSCPA)
Education
Guest Presenter
Lecturing for Senior Portfolio class at SDSCPA Dance Department on dance careers after post-secondary education
November 4, 2021
San Diego, CA, USA + Virtual
NEXT Ensemble
Performance
Dancer + Instructor
Tour through Northern Utah for Adaptive Ballet Lecture-Demonstrations, sponsored by NEXT Ensemble
September 5 - November 3, 2021
Ogden, UT, USA
International Dance Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS)
Conference
Lead Author
Research Poster on possible increases in mirror neuron activity and improved neuroplasticity from ballet classes in clinical settings
“Weekly Ballet Classes for Individuals with Diverse Neurological Conditions: A Collaboration Between Physical Therapy, Medical, and Dance Students”
October 21-24, 2021
Denver, CO, USA + Virtual
National Dance Education Organization (NDEO)
Conference
Lead Presenter
“Inclusion of Musicians in Dance Spaces”
October 8, 2021
Virtual
National Dance Education Organization (NDEO)
Conference
Panelist
“Globalizing Accessible Dance Education: Equity and Inclusivity as the Starting Point”
October 6, 2021
Virtual
Allies Gala
Performance
Dancer
Equality Utah at the Eccles Theatre
October 2, 2021
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19
loveDANCEmore
Performance
Dancer + Choreographer
BLOOM was a contemporary choreography in collaboration with piano composer Nicholas Maughan for presenter loveDANCEmore’s programming of “Sunday Series”.
September 12, 2021 @ 7:30pm
Spy Hop Rooftop, Salt Lake City, UT, USA