Bio
Janaea Rose Lyn was born in New York City. A child of the sixties, she came of age in the San Francisco of the seventies. Freedom, expression, and community were emblematic of the music she grew up on. When she found these values embodied in the philosophy and style of modern dance pioneer Isadora Duncan, Janaea found her passion for dance. After completing her undergraduate degree, she was invited to Paris as the artist in residence at the Akademia Raymond Duncan, continuing Isadora’s legacy.
Janaea returned to the states to further her dance education and immersed herself in the vibrant New York dance scene of the eighties, where her mentors included Mary Anthony and Bessie Schönberg. Her graduate studies centered on her development as a choreographer working with musicians which led to the formation of Convergence - Dancers and Musicians. Based in Philadelphia, the company created collaborative works by company members, guest choreographers and composers, performing nationally and internationally for over a decade. Janaea relocated to Maryland and created Dance Matrix, expanding her choreographic work to include theater artists. She established a performing arts degree program at the local community college with a focus on student driven, faculty mentored interdisciplinary work.
After fifteen years, Janaea came to Phoenix where she created a dance degree program, also at a community college. She developed curricula for teaching collaborative dance-making for use in classes and productions and has written articles and presented at national conferences on her inclusive approach to performing arts pedagogy. Janaea designed and taught Dance Career Preparation, a course to help students pursue a life in dance. Her recent book, Choreographing Your Dance Career, emerged from her personal an professional life and is intended as a companion for dance practitioners at every career stage. Janaea’s life has come full circle. She is once again an independent artist and educator, remaining active in the dance community as a mentor, workshop facilitator and dance accompanist.
