Jessica Bertram Williams, M.F.A.
Assistant Professor, Department of Theatre & Dance
Gonzaga University
EDUCATION
2021 - 2024
M.F.A., Dance with Ethnic Studies Emphasis
Certificates, Arts Administration and Ethnic Studies
University of Colorado Boulder / Boulder, CO
2013 - 2017
B.S., Anthropology & Human Biology
B.A., Dance & Movement Studies
Emory University / Atlanta, GA
ACADEMIC TEACHING
Present
Assistant Professor
Gonzaga University / Spokane, WA
Courses: Jazz, Composition, Dance Culture & Art
Additional Responsibilities: Choreographing the spring undergraduate concert, student mentorship, faculty representative for the American College Dance Association Northwest Conference, Summer Dance Intensive
2024 - 2025
Visiting Assistant Professor
Whitman College / Walla Walla, WA
Courses: Advanced Afro-Contemporary Dance Practicum, Beginning Afro-Contemporary Dance Practicum, Modern Dance Lecture, Independent Study
Additional Responsibilities: Choreographing and co-producing the fall undergraduate concert, student mentorship, faculty representative for the American College Dance Association Northwest Conference
2022 - 2024
Graduate Instructor
University of Colorado Boulder / Boulder, CO
Courses: Intermediate/Advanced Contemporary Technique, Beginning Ballet with Experience Technique, Dance and Popular Media Studies Lecture, Beginning Jazz Technique, Beginning Contemporary
Additional Responsibilities: Thesis concert production and defense, BIPoC Jam facilitator, artistic director of graduate showcases, director of High School Dance Day, assistant director of Grad Tour, undergraduate mentor, choreographer, performer
2021 - 2023
Teaching Assistant
University of Colorado Boulder / Boulder, CO
Courses: West African Dance, Dance and Popular Media Studies
COMMUNITY TEACHING
Academy Teaching Artist
2024
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance / Denver, CO
Ages 3-12. Ballet, jazz, modern and improvisation techniques.
2022 - 2023
Lakewood Cultural Arts Center / Denver, CO
Ages 7-14. Ballet, jazz and contemporary technique. Choreograph for biannual performances.
2016 - 2021
Moving in the Spirit, Inc. / Atlanta, GA
Ages 3-18. Teaching modern, jazz, hip-hop, ballet, improvisation and choreography, in collaboration with teaching artists. Co-directed Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) and Apprentice Company (AC). Choreographic work has been presented at the Rialto Center for the Arts, Synchronicity Theatre, Emory Performing Arts Studio, and 2019 National Apprentice Corporation Tour.
2021 - 2022
Rise City Dance / Atlanta, GA / Guest artist
2019
Dekalb School of the Arts / Atlanta, GA / Guest artist
2019
Decatur School of Ballet / Atlanta, GA / Guest artist
Mental Health is Wealth Artistic Facilitator
2024
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance / Denver, CO
Eight-week experience connecting high school students with more than a dozen creative industry organizations for on-job-access within diverse career fields. Students participate in a weekly workshop designed to provide foundational knowledge of mental health, wellness, and the arts with our behavioral health professionals and arts facilitation team members.
Outreach Teaching Artist
2025
Triple Point Program / Walla Walla, WA
Movement workshop dedicated to providing a supportive space/body positivity to LGBTQ+ youth in middle and high school.
2024 - 2025
Denver Center for Performing Arts / Denver, CO
Ages 2-14. Teaching Broadway Jazz, creative movement, and contemporary dance to support DCPA’s Musical Madness summer program.
Adult Broadway-themed community dance workshop.
2022 - 2024
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance / Denver, CO
Ages 3-65+. Teaching dance and creative development in colleges, public school systems, public libraries and community organizations across the Denver Metropolitan area.
2022 - 2023
Creative Dance Kids / Denver, CO
Ages 2-12. Teaching creative movement, in collaboration with fellow teachers to meet students’ physical and emotional needs in public/private schools and daycare centers throughout Denver.
2022 - 2023
Grad Tour, Boulder and Paonia, CO
Ages 14-70+. Bringing improvisation and African Diasporic movement to high schoolstudents and seniors of Paonia county as an initiative to make arts connections in rural communities.
2021
Hambidge Cross Pollination Art Lab / Atlanta, GA
Provide free movement classes open to the public as a component of artist in residency program.
2017 - 2019
The Move/Dance Program / Atlanta, GA
Ages 10 - 18. Ballet, jazz, Afro-modern, improvisation, hip-hop, and contemporary technique. Develop student communication and presentation skills in preparation for public dance performances. Partner schools include: Sylvan Hills Middle School, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, Drew Charter Middle School, Ralph J. Bunche Middle School.
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2024
The Jessica Bertram Womanist Innovation & Pioneer Award, CU Boulder
Program Support Fund, CU Boulder
Graduate Research Award Demonstrating Excellence, CU Boulder
2023
Graduate Research in Dance, CU Boulder
Leadership Pipeline Scholarship Award, Boulder Arts Council
MFA Excellence in Research Micro Grant, CU Boulder
Eaton Travel Research Grant, CU Boulder
Charlotte York Irey Scholarship, CU Boulder
Onye Ozuzu Award, CU Boulder
2022
Gail Pokoik Award, CU Boulder
Urban Bush Women Summer Leadership Intensive Scholarship, Urban Bush Women
Graduate Research in Dance Grant, CU Boulder
2021
Center for Humanities in the Arts Fellowship, CU Boulder
MFA Excellence in Research Micro Grant, CU Boulder
2020
Idea Capital Grant
2017
Emory Dance Pioneer Award, Emory University
Alan Rackoff Library Award, Emory University
2016
Sally A. Radell Friends of Dance Scholarship, Emory University
CHOREOGRAPHY
2024 - 2025 held by the bath//until you return
Studio Series, Whitman College, Walla, Walla, WA
2022 - 2023 who bathed you?
American College Dance Association, Northwest Region, Salt Lake City, UT
Center for African and African American Studies, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
2022 Alchemy
Department of Music, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
2021 bloody sacrifices
Hambidge Cross-Pollination Art Lab, Fall for Fall Dance Festival, Atlanta, GA
2020 - 2021 Our Hair Feels Like Flower Petals
Hambidge Arts Center, The Epicurean Hotel, The Movement Lab, Fall for Fall Dance Festival, and Atlanta Contemporary Museum, Atlanta, GA
2018 - 2019 WINK
Dance Canvas Choreographers Initiative, Ferst Center for the Arts, Atlanta, GA
2018 - 2019 Fading Light
The B Complex and 7Stages Theatre, Atlanta, GA
2018 Return to Innocence Lost
Active Space Studios, Atlanta, GA
2016 - 2017 She Fell, but Felt No Fear
American College Dance Association, Southeast Region, Auburn, AL
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
CHOREOGRAPHY: THEATRE PRODUCTIONS
2025 Hadestown
Parlando School of Musical Arts, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, CO
2023 Freaky Friday
Fairview High School, Boulder, CO
2023 The Hairy Scary
Parlando School of Musical Arts, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, CO
2023 William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
Parlando School of Musical Arts, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, CO
2020 Jeopardy: Black History Month Edition
Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, Atlanta, GA
2019 The Lion King
Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, Atlanta, GA
CHOREOGRAPHY: UNIVERSITY PIECES
2025 all that we touch
Uprooted! Jazz Dance Festival, Sonoma State University, Sonoma, CA
2024 - 2025 Quare/Lifted
FRESH, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
American College Dance Association High Desert Region, Laramie, WY
2024 - 2025 Of Millions Like Us
Roots and Bones Winter Concert, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA
American College Dance Association Northwest Region, Modesto, CA
2023 - 2024 Things [We] Fall Apart
FRESH, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
American College Dance Association, Northwest Region, Ogden, UT
Revel, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
2023 Homegoing
Roots and Reflections MFA Concert, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
2022 BBDMDT
Revel, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
2019 After Love
Emory Dance Company Concert, Emory University, Atlanta, GA