Jōvan Dansberry is a St.Louis native who received his Bachelor of Arts from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. Based now in New York City, Jōvan is a director, choreographer, and performer whose work spans the worlds of theatre, television, and live performance. His aesthetic is primarily informed by his passion for telling stories through movement, an admiration for innovative production design, and a deep respect for the performing arts.
His Broadway and national touring credits include Bob Fosse’s Dancin, Wicked, MJ the Musical, and King Kong. Other New York Theater credits include eight seasons with The Metropolitan Opera and productions with both Roundabout Theater Company and New York City Center Encores! TV/Live Performance: “SNL!”, “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon, The Tony Awards, “POSE”, Hulu’s “Up Here.” Other recent collaborations include Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil at the Goodman Theatre, The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance Theatre, and Porgy and Bess at The Metropolitan Opera.
In addition to movement direction and choreography, Jōvan is a professor in the Department of Performing Arts at Rider University and is currently the Vice-Chair on the Associate Board of Classic Stage Company in New York City. Jōvan strives to make sure that his work reflects his dedication to storytelling, his deep love and appreciation for movement, and his commitment to nurture the next generation of performing artists.