Bio
Jess Coffman is an entertainer, director, arts educator, published poet and award winning choreographer. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Industry Studies from California State University Northridge, and during that time completed internships at Capitol Records in the Marketing Department and Paramount Studios in the Film Music Department.
Jess has performed with nationally acclaimed theater companies such as Tuacahn Amphitheatre, Transcendence Theatre Company, The Troubadour Theatre Company, Sacramento Music Circus, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Cabrillo Music Theater and The Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities to name a few. She was the Lead Singer in the National Tour of Hooray for Hollywood and Dance Captain and Female Swing aboard the Disney Dream Cruise Ship with Disney Cruise Lines.
In the summer of 2021 Jess was hired to direct and choreograph Broadway performers in the original production of Road Trip at Transcendence Theatre Company. Later in 2021, Jess had an all-time career high performing for Liza Minelli in The Troubadour Theatre Company's production of LIZASTRATA at the Getty Villa. Jess won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award in 2022 for her choreography in LIZASTRATA.
In addition to her professional theatre career, Jess has been a Performing Arts Educator for the past 18 years. She is also a Social Emotional Learning Facilitator, Stretch Therapist and certified Group Fitness Instructor.
She began her teaching career as a Kindermusik Instructor which led to the development of her own toddler dance curriculum called “Tiny Dancers.” She worked at Kidville in NYC as a dance/music early childhood educator and instructor in their preschool alternative program. She has taught at many dance studios in the Los Angeles area specializing in Ballet, Tap and Musical Theatre style Jazz.
In 2018 Jess began directing and choreographing for The Young Artists Ensemble (YAE), a youth theatre company at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks, CA. To date, Jess has directed and/or choreographed seven shows for YAE. Four out of the seven shows were YAE and Conejo Theatre for Everyone Productions (CTFE.) CTFE is a theatre company composed of adults with Special Needs.
In 2023 Jess launched ABUNDANCE Expressive Arts, a performing arts company serving primarily elementary aged children. They promote social emotional learning, literacy and community building through the performing arts by teaching students acting, singing, dancing, improvisational comedy, storytelling, story writing and performing. ABUNDANCE Expressive Arts offers 10 week Dance and Theatre Workshops both during and after school with culminating performances for family and friends. When their dance workshops are used during the school day, they can satisfy Physical Education requirements for Elementary Schools.
In 2023, Jess taught her dance workshops to the incredible students at Knolls Elementary School and Mountain View Elementary School within Simi Valley USD. For the 2023-2024 school year, Jess will be teaching dance and theatre workshops within Simi Valley USD and Los Angeles USD.
Jess has performed with nationally acclaimed theater companies such as Tuacahn Amphitheatre, Transcendence Theatre Company, The Troubadour Theatre Company, Sacramento Music Circus, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Cabrillo Music Theater and The Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities to name a few. She was the Lead Singer in the National Tour of Hooray for Hollywood and Dance Captain and Female Swing aboard the Disney Dream Cruise Ship with Disney Cruise Lines.
In the summer of 2021 Jess was hired to direct and choreograph Broadway performers in the original production of Road Trip at Transcendence Theatre Company. Later in 2021, Jess had an all-time career high performing for Liza Minelli in The Troubadour Theatre Company's production of LIZASTRATA at the Getty Villa. Jess won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award in 2022 for her choreography in LIZASTRATA.
In addition to her professional theatre career, Jess has been a Performing Arts Educator for the past 18 years. She is also a Social Emotional Learning Facilitator, Stretch Therapist and certified Group Fitness Instructor.
She began her teaching career as a Kindermusik Instructor which led to the development of her own toddler dance curriculum called “Tiny Dancers.” She worked at Kidville in NYC as a dance/music early childhood educator and instructor in their preschool alternative program. She has taught at many dance studios in the Los Angeles area specializing in Ballet, Tap and Musical Theatre style Jazz.
In 2018 Jess began directing and choreographing for The Young Artists Ensemble (YAE), a youth theatre company at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks, CA. To date, Jess has directed and/or choreographed seven shows for YAE. Four out of the seven shows were YAE and Conejo Theatre for Everyone Productions (CTFE.) CTFE is a theatre company composed of adults with Special Needs.
In 2023 Jess launched ABUNDANCE Expressive Arts, a performing arts company serving primarily elementary aged children. They promote social emotional learning, literacy and community building through the performing arts by teaching students acting, singing, dancing, improvisational comedy, storytelling, story writing and performing. ABUNDANCE Expressive Arts offers 10 week Dance and Theatre Workshops both during and after school with culminating performances for family and friends. When their dance workshops are used during the school day, they can satisfy Physical Education requirements for Elementary Schools.
In 2023, Jess taught her dance workshops to the incredible students at Knolls Elementary School and Mountain View Elementary School within Simi Valley USD. For the 2023-2024 school year, Jess will be teaching dance and theatre workshops within Simi Valley USD and Los Angeles USD.
Resumes
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