Evelyn Ealey (she/her) is a senior student from Charlotte, North Carolina pursuing a double major in (BFA) Dance Performance & Choreography and (BA) Strategic Communications at Elon University. While at Elon, she has developed her artistic voice through undergraduate research, performance and choreography. Her experiences have helped create her unique artistic identity that she hopes to use to uplift those in her community and encourage diverse voices to be heard. Her work seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of Black identifying students pursuing collegiate dance degrees and uncover the mental health impacts they face in navigating the complex dynamics of their environment. In her last semester of her undergraduate journey, Evelyn is excited to serve as the Academic Publishing Intern for the Journal of Dance Education (JoDE) and to present her research, Rhythms of Resilience, at the 2026 North Carolina Dance Education Organization Conference (NCDEO).

Jess Goodwin (she/her) is an emerging dancer, choreographer, and educator originally from Woodstock, Georgia. She received her Bachelors of Arts in Dance with a concentration in Pedagogy from Brenau University, graduating in May of 2026.

During her time at Brenau, Jess had the privilege and opportunity to perform in a number of guest artist pieces including works by Keerati Jinakunwiphat, Christopher Bloom, Jake Bone of DOVA, Larry Keigwin and more, as well as faculty works by professors Dr. Madia Cooper-Ashirifi, Jessica Lynch-Oliver and George Wilson-Berry. At Brenau, Jess trained in techniques such as modern, jazz, ballet, african diaspora, and more, while furthering her training with staibdance’s Root Theory workshop and American Dance Festival, where she was cast in an original work by Autumn Eckman. While at ADF, she also had the opportunity to present her own choreography in the student showcase. 

While furthering her own choreographic voice, she has had the opportunity to be rehearsal director for multiple dance artists, such as Keerati Jinakunwiphat, Jesse Zaritt, and Mary Beth Stinson. Additionally, Jess has worked as an Arts Administration Intern for both Dance Canvas and DanceATL, learning skills such as grant writing, community outreach/organization, and marketing. Currently, Jess works in a variety of Atlanta-area studios and is in training to become a Pure Barre teacher, while pursuing freelance performance and choreography opportunities. Throughout her work, Jess commits herself to exploration through a lens of introspection, identity, and in-betweens, while paying mind to the most human of experiences.

Kendall Hayes Kendall Hayes (she/her) is a graduate student in the Master of Arts Administration program at Ohio University. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography from Ohio University, along with a Business Administration minor and Social Media Certificate. Originally from Holly Springs, North Carolina, Kendall is passionate about expanding access to dance education and supporting arts organizations through marketing, communications, and community engagement.

Throughout her time at Ohio University, Kendall has developed experience in arts leadership, recruitment, and marketing through her work as a Graduate Assistant and Student Ambassador for the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts. As both an artist and administrator, she is interested in the intersection of dance, education, and community engagement. Her choreographic work, Split Seconds, was selected for performance at the East-Central Region conference of the American College Dance Association (ACDA), where it explored themes of decision-making and human connection.