Jessica St. Vil loves to dance. Although the Lehman College graduate received her bachelor’s in mass communications, she realized dance was her true passion when she was accepted into the Alvin Ailey School.
“I was taught at an early age the importance of working hard and being persistent. I always knew that I loved dance and that I wanted to dedicate my time to it, so to be accepted into the Alvin Ailey School was a dream come true,” says St. Vil, who also minored in dance in college.
After much hard work and dedication, St. Vil is now the director of the Ka Nu Dance Theatre, where she has free reign to combine her extraordinary talent for dance with her unique storytelling skills.
“My position as director gives me the chance to share with the world; Haitian heritage, history and culture by educating our spectators through contemporary modern and Afro-Caribbean dance,” she says. “I aspire to continue to enrich the lives of others through performing, choreographing and teaching the art of dance.”
St. Vil and the Ka Nu Dance Theatre recently performed in “Uplifted: An Evening of Sensational Dance,” a production inspired by the recent earthquakes in Haiti. Through the movement of their bodies, they tell the story of the strong and resilient Haitian people as they endure the tragedy in the impoverished, hurricane-ravaged nation.
“It was very disheartening to see so much devastation on television. I still have family and friends living there. Fortunately, I’m blessed to be able to help, and I’m extremely grateful for all the opportunities that have been presented to me,” says St. Vil. –christian johnson
