JESS SMITH is a New York City based dancer from New Orleans, Louisiana. Jess studied at London Contemporary Dance School, and received her BFA in dance from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College. She has performed with companies such as Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More NYC, Vim Vigor Dance Company, ZviDance and Kizuna Dance. She continues to teach and set work at schools, festivals, and training programs throughout the U.S. and internationally. Jess was one of eight choreographers chosen for The Jacob’s Pillow Ann and Weston Hicks Choreographic Fellowship in 2022. Jess is the Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Dual Rivet. Jess is currently on Faculty at The Juilliard School, Purchase College, Gibney and Marymount Manhattan College.

CHELSEA AINSWORTH is a graduate of the Dance Department of The Juilliard School. She has worked with Johannes Wieland/Staatstheater Kassel in Germany, Lorena Egan, Flexicure, Amber Sloan, Bryn Cohn + Artists, The Bang Group, Zvidance, and was on the modern/ballet dance faculty at Cap21 musical theater school and Chen Dance Center. She currently teaches at Saint Ann’s and is the Executive Director of Arts On Site. She is the Co-Choreographer and Director of Dual Rivet.

DUAL RIVET is a women-led dance company focused on creating and sharing highly physical contemporary dance to a wide audience. Based in NYC, Dual Rivet creates work for stage and film that exchanges a cinematic and visceral language to influence both platforms. Directors Jess Smith and Chelsea Ainsworth have been making and presenting work since 2017. They have performed and set work at Festival PRISMA (Panama), b12 (Berlin), Centro Cultural Los Talleres (Mexico), Barnard College/Columbia University, Sam Houston State University, Oklahoma International Dance Festival, Austin Dance Festival, Joe’s Pub, West End Theatre, Kittery Maine, Musikfest Pennsylvania, Gibney Dance, Peridance Capezio Center, CreateArt, Arts On Site and many more. The company teaches a myriad of classes, throughout the United States and internationally, with an emphasis on contemporary partnering and floorwork. Dual Rivet is currently on faculty at The Juilliard School, Gibney, Peridance, SUNY Purchase, Marymount Manhattan College, and Adelphi University. The company hosts an annual choreography festival, MADE BY WOMEN, highlighting women choreographers and filmmakers from around the globe. For more info: www.dualrivetdance.com.  @dualrivet