Jill Henderson

Dance

Photo: Ron Compton

Prior to moving to the USA in 1992, Jill Henderson lived and worked in the UK where she was a pioneer in the world of dance in public education. During her UK career, she taught, choreographed, and advised in a wide variety of educational contexts, including K-12 dance programs; teacher preparation and in-service; arts curriculum development and adult and community education. From 1989 to 1992, she was director of the education program for the Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet (which became The Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1990).

In the US, from 1993 to 1996, Jill was the Arts Coordinator for the creation and writing of Connecticut State Department of Education’s Guide to Program Development in the Arts K-12, including the Arts Standards for CT. 1996-2004, Jill was the Administrative Director for MetaArts, Inc. and the Judy Dworin Performance Ensemble.

As a dance educator in CT, Jill has taught at Central Connecticut State University; Trinity College, Hartford; University of Hartford and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. She currently teaches dance composition in the Hartt School Community Division Dance Department. She is a founder member of the Connecticut Dance Alliance and has just completed three years as its President.

As a teacher of dance composition, Jill nurtures her students as creative artists in the firm belief that all children are choreographers. In her classes creativity and imagination are encouraged with a strong emphasis on purposeful collaboration and thoughtful discussion.

Jill is also a mixed media collage artist exhibiting in local and regional galleries.