Jason Luks
DANCE SPECIALTY
Tap
BEST ADVICE TO YOUNG DANCERS
"Never stop trying new things and continue training your brain and body for every opportunity. Keep your head up, stay positive, always lead with love and understanding in every situation, and follow your gut. Stay true to yourself, stay humble, and explore your passions everyday! "
FAVORITE THING ABOUT AN NYCDA WEEKEND?
"The NYCDA Family!!! I love seeing new and old faces within the ever changing landscape of teachers, assistants and staff each weekend and sharing in our love for this amazing art form. My favorite thing is seeing the growth from year to year in the returning dancers and challenging myself to continue pushing each of them to be their personal best."
BACKGROUND
Jason was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, and received his dance training from many teachers that both shaped his dancing as well as his teaching style today. After high school, Jason went on to receive his BFA in Dance from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts while also training with many master teachers in NYC. He currently juggles the roles of Choreographer, Teacher, Performer and the proud Artistic Director of The Dance Academy of North Jersey.
STAGE PERFORMANCES
Jason's live stage credits include the Broadway cast of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas", "On the Town" at Barrington Stages, "My One and Only" at Stages St. Louis, as well as "Tap Stars" at the St.Pauli Theater in Hamburg, Germany. Jason has had the opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Center with both The Jam Project in addition to a performance choreography by Randy Skinner as a part of "Some Enchanted Evening" (a special evening to celebrate the late Senator Ted Kennedy).
TV/FILM PERFORMANCES
Jason has appeared on "Saturday Night Live", "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon", "So You Think You Can Dance", "The Who Was Show", "The Late Late Show with James Corden", and "MTV’s Video Music Awards". He was also featured on the second season of NBC's "World of Dance", competing with The Jam Project.
CHOREOGRAPHY
Jason was accepted into the SDCF (Stage Directors and Choreographer Foundation) Observership Program and was then hand selected by Spencer Liff to be a part of the choreography team for the recent revival of Falsettos as well as selected by Josh Prince and James Lapine to work on the production of Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing at the Signature Theater in Washington D.C. Jason's choreography has also been presented at The Joyce Theater, Symphony Space, St. Marks Church (Danspace Project), and the University of Richmond.
TEACHING CREDITS
Jason has been teaching Jazz, Tap, Contemporary and Musical Theater for the last 15 years at multiple studios, conventions, and workshops around the US and Canada. Jason is currently on Faculty at The Joffrey Ballet School in NYC teaching Musical Theater to the year round Jazz and Contemporary students. He has also had the pleasure of teaching Tap and Musical Theater at Rhee Gold's Dance Life Teacher Conference.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Instagram @jasonluks