How Jessica Gaynor, Artistic Director of Young Dancemakers Company, Helps NYC Teens Find Their Choreographic Voices

Each summer, Young Dancemakers Company brings together a diverse group of teens to create and present their own choreography at multiple venues throughout New York City. A fully tuition-free summer intensive for public high school students citywide, YDC was launched in 1996 by educator Alice Teirstein. It’s now run by artistic director Jessica Gaynor, who was a student of Teirstein’s at The Ethical Culture Fieldston School in the 1990s; Gaynor works as an independent choreographer and performer. Along with music director William Catanzaro, associate program manager Ivi Whitehead, and program assistant Tiana Ayala, Gaynor provides YDC participants with the opportunity not only to hone their dance technique and stage presence, but also to express their unique points of view through movement.

“Alice believed that teenagers have a lot to say about the world around them, and that they can say it through dance,” Gaynor says. While each year’s program does include a piece of guest repertory from a professional company based in the city, “at YDC, we put our young dancemakers front and center,” Gaynor adds. “The program is theirs, and because it’s a different group each summer, the work always feels new.”  

Dance Teacher spoke to Gaynor about how YDC helps students explore their choreographic voices and present their work with confidence.

How are students chosen for YDC?

They start by signing up for an information session, where I explain the commitment required and ask them about their ideas for dances. Next, we require a short self-choreographed solo that shows us who they are as a dancer. We want dancers who are eager to learn, to create, and to collaborate—and that’s not necessarily the kids who’ve had the most training.

How do you guide dancers from ideas to finished work?

We do a ton of improvisation and composition study at the beginning of the program. We talk about things like tempo: How does moving fast or slow change what the audience sees? And space: What does it say to the audience if you have a large group dancing together, with one person separate? We hand out notebooks and have the students write everything down: What did you see, what stood out? What kinds of stories are you interested in telling, and how could you tell those stories through dance?

They write a proposal for the piece they want to create, and we meet to discuss it. What’s the dance about? How many people do you need? What could the music sound like? Then, they have to come up with an improvisation idea that fleshes out their concept and shows them which of their peers understands it and would be good in the piece. For example, for the audition for a piece about trust, the choreographer had dancers work in pairs, one with eyes closed and the other leading them through the space. Who feels comfortable being led, and who’s freaking out? Who’s taking care of their partner? Leading this improvisation also gets students used to directing the group.

After they cast their pieces, we meet with the composers and costume designer. For YDC, every aspect of the piece starts with the images and the storytelling. It’s always about using tools of choreography and stagecraft to say something.   

What are some tips teachers can use to help young choreographers express their ideas in an authentic way?

Starting with an improvisation as the audition is big: What is the story you’re trying to tell or the image you’re trying to convey? As opposed to, “Learn this 8-count phrase and see who can kick their leg the highest.” Those won’t necessarily help tell a story.

Be clear about the theme of the piece and keep coming back to that.

Give the students space to work and to lead. My assistant and I will peek into rehearsals and give little bits of feedback, ask questions, make suggestions for them to take home and think about—but it’s a dialogue. Also, when you give feedback, it’s not about what you would do differently if the piece were yours. Tell them what you’re seeing: “This is what I’m getting from this section. Is that what you’re trying to communicate?”

Since 2018, YDC’s choreographers have worked with professional composers on original scores. When that’s not possible, what’s your advice for helping dancers choose music?

Our music director asks, early on, “What are the sounds you’re hearing for this piece?” Have them think about, Is this percussion? Is this piano? Listen to a lot of music and then try some out in rehearsal. Consider what’s working or not working about a certain sound. The music should amplify the idea of the piece. It’s not telling the story in place of the dance; the dance should be able to communicate on its own.

Why is learning how to make dances—and being given opportunities to present work—important for students?

Creating and performing is a huge part of being a dancer. Being in the studio together and making something out of nothing. And problem-solving: How do we do this lift safely? How do we get into the next formation? Is the emotion resonating? That’s how you become an artist.

Plus, it’s empowering to be able to take a theme or a message that’s important to you and translate it into a physical piece of art. To have an idea, tell people about it, get them on board with you, direct dancers in the studio, and then see what you created come to life onstage and have audiences connect with it—it’s so beautiful.