Fields of Interest
Biography
Jenn Pray is a dance artist whose career includes choreography, community engaged performance, and international touring of solo and ensemble work. Originally from central Iowa, Jenn holds a B.A. with a double major in dance and international studies from the University of Iowa. She is currently a second year M.F.A. candidate at the University of Washington Seattle.
Based in Minneapolis for nine years, from 2017-2021 Jenn toured nationally as a company artist with Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater. As part of SPDT’s innovative model of community engaged art, she taught in residencies at institutions including St. Olaf College, University of Alabama Birmingham, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Shenandoah University, North Alamo Community College and University of Minnesota Duluth. Jenn’s additional performance credits include Threads Dance Project, STRONGmovement, Live Action Set, Ballet Minnesota and works by Camille A. Brown, Shapiro & Smith, Joe Goode, Martha Clarke, José Limón, Leyya Tawil and James Sewell.
Jenn’s choreography is a blend of dynamic movement, theater and darkly comedic social commentary. Her performance works have been presented by Tanzwerkstatt Europa in Munich, the Henny Jurriëns Stichting in Amsterdam and the Southern Theater in Minneapolis. Commissions include Threads Dance Project, Iowa Dance Theatre, the Minnesota Museum of American Art, and the Phipps Dance Company. Jenn is the recipient of the Gaia Fenna Memorial Fellowship at Tofte Lake Center (2020) and was an Iowa Center for the Arts Scholar (2008-2012).
A passionate educator, Jenn currently serves as a Pre-Doctoral Lecturer at University of Washington, and has served on faculty at Macalester College, Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, and Ashley Ballet Arts Academy. She is an E-RYT 200 yoga teacher and has taught yoga and mindfulness for over twelve years.