STAFF

FOUNDER | Jodie Randolph​ is a choreographer and dance educator based in southeast Michigan.  She holds her MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University where she studied under notable artists Alonzo King, Ana Sanchez-Cohlberg, John Paul Zaccarini, Mayra Morales, Lily Baldwin, and Marianela Boan. Jodie has presented work at numerous venues across the United States and Caribbean including Hudson Guild Theatre (NYC), Boll Theatre (Detroit), Palacio de Bellas Artes (Santon Domingo), among others. Her choreography has been commissioned for Brighton Dance Festival, Dance Masters of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Oakland University, and ENDANZA, as well as multiple dance schools in the region. Her work has been presented at Biomorphic Dance Festival (NYC), Brighton Dance Festival (MI), Detroit Dance City Festival (MI), Detroit Dance Race (MI), Michigan Dance Festival (MI), Oakland Dance Festival (MI), and EDANCO (Dominican Republic). As an educator, Jodie's students have gone on to study at The Juilliard School, Marymount of Manhattan, Indiana University, University of Michigan, and Western Michigan University, among others.  

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | Irene Roberts grew up dancing in southwestern Michigan and received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Western Michigan University prior to her performing career in Los Angeles. She performed with numerous companies including Blue13 Dance Company, SiZa Dance Company, Errant Movement, and Ameratsu Dance Company as well as choreographing for LA Unbound and the inaugural NACHMO LA performance. After sustaining an injury, she decided to shift her career focus to supporting dance through administration. She returned to Western Michigan University where she completed her Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus in management and nonprofit leadership and was the Vice President of Finance and Fundraising for the Nonprofit Leadership Student Association. She also spent a year volunteering to work with Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers on the organization and marketing of the company’s 40th anniversary season and the 2020 Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival. Ms. Roberts is a certified nonprofit professional through the nonprofit leadership alliance as well as a certified Xtend Barre and TRX instructor.

OPERATIONS MANAGER | Haley Cornelison a newly minted arts administrator, freshly graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a passion for visual and fine arts. When she's not advocating for various causes, you can find her working on a passion project or enjoying a book with her cat, Slim. Haley has been coined as a determined, outgoing person who is always ready to tackle a task at hand. She can't wait to carve out her role at JRD!

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | Kaitlyn Pollock attended Western Michigan University and graduated with a BFA in Dance in 2013. Throughout her university experience, she had many opportunities to work with professional artists and perform professional works such as Gerald Arpino's "Viva Vivaldi", KT Nelson "Light and Landless" (2013), Lauren Edson "Foreground" (2012), David Parsons "The Envelope" (2011), Gerald Arpino's "Birthday Variations", Harrison McEldowney "Dance Sport" (2010), Autumn Eckman Premiere of "Yes, and..” (2010), Ron DeJesus (2009) Premiere of "Khamsin". Following graduation she moved to New York City and performed professionally with Shawn Bible Dance Company, artistic director Shawn T Bible, BOM DIGGS, artistic director Bonnie O’Rourke, Smashworks Dance Collective and DoubleTakeDance Co. She also performed in various freelance dance projects throughout NYC. KP recently moved back to Kalamazoo, MI and is excited to lead Young Dancers Initiative!

ASSISTANT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | Isabella Varon, a Michigan native and recent graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, holds a BFA in dance with a concentration in ballet. She began her dance training at the age of 2 at Juliart Dance Studio in Troy, Michigan.  Her training includes ballet, pointe, contemporary, modern, lyrical, jazz, and tap.  Additionally, during her training at Juliart, Isabella spent 9 years dancing at the competitive level obtaining numerous awards and scholarships. During her time at Marymount, studying under the direction of Katie Langan, Isabella performed several new choreographic works and repertoire by artists such as Kyle Abraham, Adam Barruch, Michael Thomas, Breton Tyner-Bryan, John Heginbotham, and Nancy Lushington.  Her additional summer training includes Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s professional intensive, American Ballet Theatre, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and SpringboardX. Currently, Isabella resides in Michigan guest teaching. She is also a guest company member with Artlab J and the assistant director of Young Dancers Initiative.

Digital Media + Brand Manager | Lauren Smith is a dancer, choreographer, photographer, and videographer based in Chicago, Illinois beginning summer 2021. She graduated from Western Michigan University in May 2021 with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance, where she has had the opportunity to perform works by Brendan Dougan, Aszure Barton, Kate Skarpetowska, Melanie George, Seyong Kim, and Mike Esperanza and was a member of the touring student company, Western Dance Project under direction of Whitney Moncrief. In addition serving as Digital Media and Brand Manager, Lauren travels with Dupree Dance Convention and Competition as a lead assistant, and has begun her own photography business. Lauren is a former YDI member (2013-2017) and has been working for the company for the past two years.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Kathy King | Chair 
Owner of Brighton Dance Festival

Kim Jones | Member
Attorney, Washtenaw Community College

Jodie Randolph | Member 
Artistic Director of Jodie Randolph Dance