Conversations with Creators: Bessie Award Nominee Jordan Demetrius Lloyd

"Mainstream cultures change fast, and I feel my curiosities do too," says dance artist Jordan Demetrius Lloyd. Based in Brooklyn, New York, he is currently pursuing a Master’s from DAS Choreography, and holds a BFA from The College at Brockport. Jordan works as a choreographer, teacher, and performer, creating a multidimensional practice that allows him to explore dance from different orientations. As a performer, he has collaborated with and performed for Beth Gill, Netta Yerushalmy, Jonathan Gonzalez, Tere O’Connor, David Dorfman Dance, Donna Uchizono, Monica Bill Barnes, Joanna Kotze, and more.

His teaching practice has brought him to The American Dance Festival where he is currently on faculty. He has also taught at Rutgers University, New York University, University of the Arts, Sarah Lawrence College, and Mark Morris Dance Center. His work has been produced by: Danspace Project, New York Live Arts, BRIC, ISSUE Project Room, LaMama, BAAD!, Movement Research at Judson Memorial Church and The Center for Performance Research. He received the 2021-23 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship, and is a recipient of the Mertz Gilmore/New York Foundation for the Arts Dancer Award. He was listed on Dance Magazine’s 2023 ‘25 to Watch’ list, and his work Blackbare in the Basement was nominated for two NY Dance & Performance Bessie Awards. 

How did you initially enter the world of performance art and creation?

My mother was in a local west African dance group from her twenties all the way until I was seven or eight. I think this was my first encounter with dance, performance, rehearsals, and studios. At age eight I started taking hip-hop classes at a small local studio near my house, which is when I also started creating little dances around my house. I think all of these were entry points of sorts. 

How does your culture and roots inform your movement style and artistic voice?

I’ve always enjoyed films with lots of tension and drama, and I think there’s a cinematic approach to how I compose movement and put soundscores together. I also get really inspired by the artists I perform for. Sometimes I end up taking on some of their values and movement qualities, or respond to them in my own work. In terms of voice, it feels like it’s always in transition.  The movement that I make and my aesthetic interests have really transformed over the years, and I imagine they will continue to evolve depending on where I’m at in my life and who I’m working with.

Was there a specific moment you realized this was your calling, or was there a gradual build?

I’ve been dancing since I can remember, so I’m struggling to recall a specific moment. Being a dance artist in New York City, specifically at this moment in history, does not come without sacrifice. So in a way I feel like I’m always deciding whether to continue working in this field or not. That choice is much easier after seeing an energizing show, after a good rehearsal or class, or rewatching old projects from the past… It’s in those moments that I feel a sense of purpose. I’m very blessed to have so much inspiration around me. These little gifts that realign me and remind me that this is what I’m supposed to be doing with my life. 

What does your process look like inside the studio? Does your inspiration come from various places, and how do ideas inspire your movement generation?

I’ve gone into my last few projects with pretty clear ideas, which sometimes influences casting, venue, and/or sound more than the movement. I might have a specific quality I’m looking for in the body, but I try to think of my ideas as entry points so that I don’t develop expectations or attachments. My collaborators are super talented artists who help clarify and enhance any initial idea I might have. 

That said, I think my process looks different depending on the project and who I’m working with. I write down a lot of my ideas and notes in my notebook, so that’s usually by my side. I try to use a lot of imagery and anecdotes when teaching movement, so there can be a lot of talking. I am also always changing things, sometimes right up until the performances. I’m a gemini, so there’s a lot of duality. My collaborators and I are very serious about the work, but there's always time to crack a few jokes and let go of what’s not working.  

When do you feel most powerful?

I really enjoy performing.  I try to give myself a lot of permission to transform in ways that make me feel infinite. I’m not sure if I call that power, but it’s a very big and profound feeling for me. I also feel oddly powerful on a bike, which in New York can be dangerous and risky. And then there are the smaller moments: cooking a challenging recipe, completing a big to-do list, making a “grown up” purchase. Little wins can make me feel powerful. 

What are you hoping to change or inspire within the industry as you continue to move through it?

Tough question! I like to think of this as a shared responsibility I guess. That we are all doing our work to create safe and rigorous processes, to show up for one another, to be bold and take risks. There are so many artists that have inspired me, and I’ve learned so much from past teachers, mentors, friends, and choreographers that I’ve worked with. It would be nice if my work inspired people as well, but that’s not the objective. I’m just focused on creating work that I’m passionate about, and being a part of our collective conversations. 

What are you most excited for next?

I am about to graduate with a masters degree from DAS Choreography. I’m excited about that!

Photo credits: BBITB: Photo by Whitney Browne, Work Shot: Photo by Randy Karels, DAS Shot: Photo by Thomas Lenden, Judson: Photo by Rachel Keane, Whitney Shoot: Photo by Whtiney Browne

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