Jennifer Essex
DANCER & DANCEMAKER
Innovative movement for film, theatre, outdoor, interactive, and site-specific works.
What People are Saying.
“Had the most amazing, inspirational 6 weeks of my life.”
Thomas Devine, Student, University of Cumbria
"Working with Jennifer was quite literally one of the most colourful experiences in my dancing life. Her vibrant personality really plays a massive part in her choreography. She works a collaborative process from the soul. Everyone plays a part together and leaves the rehearsal room with a smile. A joy to work with."
Sophie Whitrick, Student, University of Cumbria
"You really got the most out of the individual lots of interaction and engaging with others, and you built up relationships and trust and people felt safe and happy.
You make people feel valued, respected and people just loved being with you."
Wendy Melling
Day Centre Officer
Mere Brook Day Time Support
“Jennifer and her student supporters were fantastic.
They immediately put everyone at their ease and everyone had such a good time remembering and moving around. They all want to come back next week.”
Gillian Peel, CEO of Age UK Darlington
From The Northern Echo
"Jennifer Essex gives a chilling performance as Exec Vice President. She could give Nurse Ratched a run for her money, with her looming presence being felt all the time, even when she is not present."
North West End review of Tmesis Theatre's Beyond Belief
"She has a real inner sense of the theatre of dance -- how to draw the audience to her. "
Order of Canada recipient Rachel Browne
“Thank you so much for Saturday – it was great fun and the children clearly loved getting involved. You could see them grow in confidence through the performance and it is so good for their self-esteem.”
Wendy Timothy
Stock Services and Activities Officer, Tamworth Library about Space Rebel Princess
“Thank you so very much for entertaining the heck out of my 2 boys today, even putting a smile on my grumpy old face too! Wonderful story, beautifully performed. Great stuff.”
Audience feedback
DN Festival about my interactive show for children, Space Rebel Princess
"Jennifer teaches with great energy and personality, allowing her to deliver engaging sessions that motivate the participants. Session content is always interesting and creative, with the right amount of challenge. Jennifer’s positive approach and diverse skills set as an artist is inspiring and allows her to create a supportive environment to facilitate participants to be open to new ideas, push boundaries and reach their full potential."
Lorraine Smith, Course Leader for Dance and Performing Arts, Teeside University
"The motifs are simple but are choreographed meticulously to marry the seams of two separate worlds."
Luke Griffin, New Reviews
Two Dancers
Essex's piece, The Royal Outlaw, was a playful creation in which her restricted princess breaks free of the stiff bonds of her blue (for blue-blooded) dress. It was fun and exuberant, and she should be encouraged to do much more of her own work."
John Kendle, Uptown Magazine
“I was impressed by her work and methodology and found her a very serious and searching artist, who alongside her bold theatrical language has a real and rare eye for detail and subtleties.”
Kim Brandstrup, my mentor at the National Centre Centre for Choreography, where I was artist in residence
"In a few words words I would call her work ethereal, insightful and engaging, always communicating unspeakable things while remaining grounded in her integrity as an artist."
Sarah Frasca, Online review
for my production Traveller and Unraveller
"The movement sequences and choreography were the strongest features of the production and some of the most creative I have ever seen."
Everything Theatre, about my choreography for Dorian Grey
"The key is the film, without which the narrative is just a radio play and the objects revert to props. Two costumed figures merge into one, over and again, in a choreographed double act involving ropes and cloaks. The final image is of a figure descending on a rope, unfurling and untangling with the downward spiral of the story. Everything has been so flamboyantly artificial up to this point – act, illusion, guise and disguise – that it has hardly seemed significant that this figure is female. But consider the one person in this story who wore no disguise, but that of her own thoughts, and her own face – not Martin or Arnaud but the possibly complicitous Bertrande."
Laura Cumming, The Guardian, on Corin Sworn's instalation Silent Sticks which I choreographed the film for
