Jazz Bynum

Jazz Khai Bynum is a professional ballet dancer in Ballet West’s second company. She began training at the age of 5 with Hudson Repertory Dance Theatres’ after school program. She continued her training in Maryland where she danced at Maryland Youth Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlems’ Residency Program at the Kennedy Center. Jazz always knew she wanted to be a ballet dancer and has never let anything stop her from pursuing her dream. Some of the biggest obstacles she has had to overcome were the 4 major surgeries she recovered from, which she later learned were a result of Ehlors Danlos Syndrome; a hypermobility disorder. Jazz has also received her B.F.A in Contemporary Performance with and emphasis in ballet from The Boston Conservatory. Her goals as a ballet dancer are to become a principal dancer, be apart of the change to normalize black faces in ballet companies and dismantle microaggressions in our workspace, be an example for young brown and black ballerinas that we do belong, and to create awareness and better care for young dancers and dancers in higher education to have the proper facilities to recover from injuries and daily care. She believes we are artistic athletes and our care should be no different than the professional and D1/D2 etc. athletes. In addition to becoming a professional ballerina Jazz wants to publish a few books, and open her own Wedding and Event Planning business. She is also an activist and protester so as much change she is striving for in the dance world she is actively working and fighting for black and brown people to receive the equality we deserve. Jazz lives her life passionately and will always strive to spread love and positivity.