Darvejon A. Jones (pronounced: dar—vee—yawn) is deeply interested in how symbolism, metaphor, mythology, history, spirituality, and context intertwine within dance performance, viewership, and interpretation. As literary works of choreography, Jones's dance writing shapeshifts between prose and exposition with ease. His writing can be found in CULTUREBOT, Movement Research and Performance Journal, and BOMB Magazine.

Jones's artistic roots run deep, shaped and trained by legendary tap dancers Paul and Arlene Kennedy of Universal Dance Designs in Los Angeles. He was also closely mentored by and performed works for Ray Tadio, a master of the Horton Technique, and Dr. Albirda "Bird" Rose, founder of the Institute for Dunham Technique Certification, beloved ballet teacher Wendy Diamond at San Francisco State University, and Contemporary Ballet with Lee Wei Chao, and Intermediate and Advanced Horton Technique with Kat Roman at Alonzo King LINES Ballet. His performance career also includes works by Emmy award-winning choreographers Ashley Roland and Jamey Hampton, and notable choreographers like Brenda Way, Kimi Okada, Ar Vejon Jones, Christian von Howard, Oluyinka Akinjiola, Sara Parker, Heidi Duckler, Maya Ciarrocchi, Jose Limon, Alethea Pace and many others.

Make no mistake, Darvejon makes Black dance. Regarding form and corporeality, he is interested in showcasing freedom and liberation through his movement vocabulary, often shapeshifting, remixing, and abstracting Black movement vernacular.  For Jones, rhythm is apparent even in the absence of a score or downbeat. Common archetypes in Jones's dance works include messengers of death across various cultures, the buffoon, etc. His creative process is intensely physical and responsive to current events, history, poetry, visual art, rap, jazz, radical imagination, everyday assumptions, language, and rage. As a curious artist, he frequently explores how elements like phantasmagoria as horror theatre, puppetry, poetry, and African American traditional spiritual practices enhance the theatricality of Black dance and contribute to the calls to action in his performances.

His works have been presented at the Mckenna Theater, The Black Choreographers Festival at Dance Mission, and PUSHfest in San Francisco; Headwaters Theater, Studio 2, and BodyVox in Portland, Oregon, under the Darvejon Jones Dance Ensemble moniker; La MaMa Moves festival at La MaMa Experimental Theater, Triskelion Arts, The Kraine Theater, and The Kaye Playhouse, Pioneers Go East Collective’s Crossroads series at Socrates Sculpture Park in New York City.
 

Academically, Jones holds a BA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a minor in Japanese Language and Literature from San Francisco State University, where he earned the Junior Potential Award, The Norinna Miller Scholarship, and the Robert Moses Kin Summer Study Scholarship awards. He earned an MFA in Dance with distinctions in Outstanding research, Outstanding performance, and Outstanding service, and the George N. Shuster Award for Outstanding Thesis from Hunter College School of Arts and Sciences.

 

Situated at the crossroads of criticism of oppressive structures, multipotentiality, and sweaty virtuosity, Jones consistently grapples with his role in caring for his audience when presenting social issues with dance. In his work, he strives to provoke discomfort, inspire thoughtfulness and empathy, showcase the beauty and embodied intelligence of his collaborators, and cultivate the courage needed for collective liberation in his audiences. Darvejon is an assistant professor of Dance at Hunter College, which is part of the City University of New York, where he has taught and mentored students of all levels in the BA, MA in Dance Education, and MFA programs for returning professionals.