Meet Jordan Gehley.
Graphic Design. And Dance.
Staging and Music. And Dance.
Vibrant Choreography. And Dance!
What’s here? Jordan’s amazing story just below.
Then two short Videos. Last but not least, stills and Jordan Gehley’s CV.
What’s here? Jordan’s amazing story just below. Then, two short Videos. Last but not least: stills and Jordan Gehley’s CV.
In Jordan Gehley’s own words…
Jordan Gehley
The intersection of line, color, and space in both the 2D and 3D worlds fascinate me. I look for patterns and relationships between objects, images, and ideas, trying to find a way to make sense of the world, at least for the moment.”
“My choreography doesn’t focus on telling a narrative, but rather on creating a sense of a whole and complete world.”
“Architecture and dance are two different ways of describing space. One is for the environment, the other is for the human body. The intersection and conversation between the two is precisely what sparks my interest and what I build into my choreography and dancing.
Jordan Gehley in NPAFE’s words…
Jordan Gehley is one of a kind.
Photo by Travis Curry, 2011
A dancer, choreographer, and designer based in Washington, DC, Jordan holds a BA in Philosophy and Dance from the College of William and Mary.
Jordan is a visual thinker. The daughter of two architects, she was encouraged at a young age to look at space, materials, and how people interact with their surroundings. This certainly shows in her creative works.
Jordan says that she feels most creative when developing the visuals of a choreographic work holistically, utilizing imagery, spatial relationships and movement. Her goal is to “create environments” that are sometimes immersive, sometimes on the stage, but always transporting the viewer to another place.
“Drawing Room,” VelocityDC Dance Festival, 2011. Photo by EDI Photography
Choreography is for Gehley a way to create new worlds, new spaces, where she and the audience can lose themselves to dream and emotion, a painting crafted by the dancers’ own movements. Through her choreography, she says, she is herself learning about new subjects and new perspectives. “It is how I gain a better understanding of the world around me, and it is how I hope the audience will join and travel with me.”
Who have been Jordan’s own influencers? Choreographers like Pina Bausch, Martha Graham, and Bob Fosse, but also actors (the Olsen sisters, Tilda Swinton), people from the fashion industry including Alexander McQueen, Deborah Turbeville, Tim Walker, photographers, singers, etc…
“World Tree,” Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, 2011. Photo by Peter Van Valkenburgh
After living in New York City for a brief period, Gehley has returned to the nation’s capital, where she dances with a few local companies and is pursuing her choreographic dreams.
Assessing her own new choreography, “Nobody Falls Halfway” in which she performs solo, we find that the dancing tells a compelling story of one’s search for self: vibrantly, poetically, beautifully. Jordan’s staging and set are especially well-conceived and, though static, seem to move with her. Her choice and clever use of the classical minimalism is strikingly effective. You’ll see for yourself in the video just below.
Bottom line: Jordan Gehley will keep on drawing us happily into her special world of creative imagination, choreography, and dance.
Upcoming Works:
Jordan is currently developing “Nobody Falls Halfway” into a longer, fuller work, exploring themes of loneliness, balance, and beauty in the mess of the everyday. You can see her dance this spring in performances including UpRooted Dance’s “The Legacy Project – Our Lives of Consumption and Waste,” a site-specific installation in the Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, and SpaceTime Dance’s show at Joy of Motion in Friendship Heights, DC.
In Jordan Gehley’s own words…
The intersection of line, color, and space in both the 2D and 3D worlds fascinate me. I look for patterns and relationships between objects, images, and ideas, trying to find a way to make sense of the world, at least for the moment.”
Jordan Gehley
“Architecture and dance are two different ways of describing space. One is for the environment, the other is for the human body. The intersection and conversation between the two is precisely what sparks my interest and what I build into my choreography and dancing.
“My choreography doesn’t focus on telling a narrative, but rather on creating a sense of a whole and complete world.”
Jordan Gehley in NPAFE’s words…
Jordan Gehley is one of a kind.
Photo by Travis Curry, 2011
A dancer, choreographer, and designer based in Washington, DC, Jordan holds a BA in Philosophy and Dance from the College of William and Mary.
Jordan is a visual thinker. The daughter of two architects, she was encouraged at a young age to look at space, materials, and how people interact with their surroundings. This certainly shows in her creative works.
“Drawing Room,” VelocityDC Dance Festival, 2011. Photo by EDI Photography
Jordan says that she feels most creative when developing the visuals of a choreographic work holistically, utilizing imagery, spatial relationships and movement. Her goal is to “create environments” that are sometimes immersive, sometimes on the stage, but always transporting the viewer to another place.
Choreography is for Gehley a way to create new worlds, new spaces, where she and the audience can lose themselves to dream and emotion, a painting crafted by the dancers’ own movements. Through her choreography, she says, she is herself learning about new subjects and new perspectives. “It is how I gain a better understanding of the world around me, and it is how I hope the audience will join and travel with me.”
“World Tree,” Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, 2011. Photo by Peter Van Valkenburgh
Who have been Jordan’s own influencers? Choreographers like Pina Bausch, Martha Graham and Bob Fosse, but also actors (the Olsen sisters, Tilda Swinton), people from the fashion industry including Alexander McQueen, Deborah Turbeville, Tim Walker, photographers, singers, etc…
After living in New York City for a brief period, Gehley has returned to the nation’s capital, where she dances with a few local companies and is pursuing her choreographic dreams.
“Golden Slumber” photo credit Jordan Gehley
Assessing her own new choreography, “Nobody Falls Halfway” in which she performs solo, we find that the dancing tells a compelling story of one’s search for self: vibrantly, poetically, beautifully. Jordan’s staging and set are especially well-conceived and, though static, seem to move with her. Her choice and clever use of classical minimalism is strikingly effective. You’ll see for yourself in the video just below.
Bottom line: Jordan Gehley will keep on drawing us happily into her special world of creative imagination, choreography, and dance.
Upcoming Works:
Jordan is currently developing “Nobody Falls Halfway” into a longer, fuller work, exploring themes of loneliness, balance, and beauty in the mess of the everyday. You can see her dance this spring in performances including UpRooted Dance’s “The Legacy Project – Our Lives of Consumption and Waste,” a site-specific installation in the Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, and SpaceTime Dance’s show at Joy of Motion in Friendship Heights, DC.
Jordan Gehley.
Video Sampler
Turn your smartphone sideways to watch these videos in total full screen!
“Nobody Falls Halfway”
Choreography and Performance by Jordan Gehley
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“Thank You for Holding”
DanceNOW Festival Joe’s Pub, 2014 (Jordan in white dress)
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Jordan Gehley
Image Gallery and Mini-cv
Choreography
- “Nobody Falls Halfway” – 2018/19 Work-in-progress
- “Honey” – ‘Siren’ – Mayzsoul Dance Company – 2011
- “By Jeeves” – Musical at 1st Stage, Tysons Corner, VA – 2011
- “World Tree” – Northern VA Fine Arts Festival – 2011
- “Drawing Room” in ‘Just a Peek Window Dances’ – Dance Is The Answer; Velocity Dance Festival – 2011
- “5,6,7,8” – Dance Minor’s Concert, William & Mary – 2009
- “3≠3” – Evening of Dance, William & Mary – 2009
- “Strangers in the Night” – Pointe Blank, William & Mary – 2008
- “Strangefolk” – Pointe Blank, William & Mary – 2007