Jessica is our Volunteer Database Management Assistant. She works on creating relational records for outreach and survey participants. Jessica holds a BA in Visual Arts and Psychology from the University of Western Ontario and recently completed her MA in Photographic Preservation and Collections Management at Ryerson University. In addition to her work at Ballet Jorgen Canada, Jessica also volunteers for the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, an institution that celebrates and encourages the work of visual artists across the country.
Jessica describes her relationship with dance as 'intimate and intermittent': 'I began dancing at a young age, enrolled in ballet and jazz classes, and remained dedicated to the art form for fifteen years. It was during my MA, however, that I was able to once again integrate this passion with my studies in photography. I completed an internship at the New York City Ballet Archives, where I catalogued and stored all incoming photographic prints. The following year, I continued researching dance for my MA thesis, focusing on photographs by Walker Evans and Henri Cartier-Bresson at the NYCB. These projects cemented my interest in the visual history of dance and I'm now thrilled to be involved with a Canadian company such as BJC.'
When asked if she has any interesting stories to share about her time at BJC, Jessica noted our season launch photoshoot which took place at the Flato Markham Theatre earlier this spring: 'This rare experience provided me with a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the company and also allowed me to preview scenes from what I believe will be a truly fantastic 2013/2014 season!'
This summer, Jessica will be searching for a permanent position in her field: she is interested in archive work in the performing arts as well as corporate collections and wealth management. 'Ultimately, I would love to find a position that combines my management skill set with my passion for art and photography.' Jessica also plans on taking a trip or two this September: 'Besides dance, travel is my other passion!'