Jessica John

An ardent movement researcher, Jessica John was a competitive athlete and dancer before finding a passion for circus in 2006. In 2017, after the 2016 US presidential election, she left a career as an intelligence officer with the CIA to pursue directing, performing, and coaching circus full-time. A corde lisse, fabric, and dance trapeze specialist, Jessica’s past coaches have included Rachel Walker, Brandy Leary, Emiliano Ron, and Leo Hedman. As a director, Jessica’s work is post-modern and challenges gender norms through displays of virtuosity and vulnerability. Her directing credits include: Steal A Step’s Kick Before You Drown; Vaudoux Aerial Dance Theatre’s Hall of Mirrors, Adrift, and Gris; and (a sprout story). She has a BA from the University of Colorado at Boulder, an MA from George Washington University, and a JD from Boston University.