Mentorship Program
Please inquire via email for more information about this unique experience!
Our Mentorship Program is a unique and intimate program that focuses on the individual pathways each dancer can create for their life in dance. This artistically stimulating and engaging 2-week experience, provides guidance to pre-professional dancers on how to navigate their careers and take the next steps into the professional dance world. Guest speakers and Master Class teachers include J CHEN PROJECT company members and other professional artists, giving insight into the various ways of working as an artist. Our goal is to nurture independent, passionate, professional dancers.
We hope to help answer questions aspiring professional dancers have about life after school and pursuing a career in dance. During the program, dancers spend time in technique class, repertory rehearsals, one-on-one mentoring sessions and the program concludes with a performance.
Mentee Testimonials
Jordan Fager
DeSales University c/o 2015
Mentee 2014 & 2015
“Applying for the Mentee Program was one of the most influential decisions I have ever made. Being able to spend two full weeks of dancing in New York City really confirmed my desire for a professional dance career. Upon finishing those two weeks, I felt like a completely different dancer and person. Getting the opportunity to dance side by side with other professional dancers in classes instilled the fire and want needed to achieve my professional goals. Working one-on-one with Jessica gave me a whole new appreciation for this beautiful art form. Gaining experience, drive, technique, and a new mentor and friends are just a few of the positives that came out of my participation in this program.”
Ashley Wiedow
Montclair State University c/o 2016
Mentee 2015
"Throughout my college education I attended the J CHEN PROJECT Mentee Summer Program for two weeks. Within this duration, not only did I grow as a technician, but the entire faculty helped nurture and support my development as an artist and independent thinker. The days were intense; filled with classes, shows, rehearsals, life talks and evaluations- every dancers dream life. But all the teachers had a main goal, and that was to express who we are as diverse people and embrace it. Acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses, and take from the rooted ideas that art is the tool necessary to forward the dialogue one wishes to speak. I am forever thankful for what this program gave to me, and hold it dear to my heart."
Neysha Merced
DeSales University c/o 2018
Mentee 2017
"The J CHEN PROJECT Mentee Program puts you in the middle of one of the most sought after places to dance professionally today, New York City. Within two weeks, you will meet new friends, take amazing classes, experience the city life, and be assessed on how you take on these challenges. This program changed my perspective on how I approached dance and made me into the new confident dancer I am today! It also provided me with the next steps i should take to actually move to NYC after I graduate college. I definitely recommend this program to dancers who want to find their niche in this beautiful city with a mentor who is resourceful, knowledgeable, and successful."
Erin Hicks
Temple University c/o 2018
Mentee 2017
“The J CHEN PROJECT Summer Mentee Program is so much more than just a regular dance intensive. It’s a totally immersive experience that allows you to step into the shoes of a professional dancer, and discover all the elements that go into living and working in NYC. I loved getting to take so many different classes to get a feel for the diverse possibilities that the city has to offer, and I also loved getting to meet and dance with Jessica’s company members. We even got to perform in a professional showcase with incredible dancers from the area, and network with people from all areas of the dance industry! If you’re looking for a dance intensive that will truly take you to the next level on your path to a professional career, this is the program for you. It may have only been 2 weeks, but it definitely changed my life!”
Mizuki Sako
Orange County School of the Arts
University of California Los Angeles
Mentee 2014
“Being in the first class of mentees within the J Chen Project summer intensive, I was blessed to have had an enriching experience that gave me an idea of what the professional life in New York may entail. I had different types of classes (i.e. ballet, contemporary modern, etc) in the city every day with different instructors who gave me a whole new world of dance vocabulary and genre to work with. Not only that, I met so many people who are working in the professional dance field with whom I could network and receive wonderful advice from. Jessica also gave us one-on-one time with her to discuss questions and give us feedback on our adventures thus far, giving me an understanding of what I needed to improve upon and want to do in the future. Being able to work with her during rehearsals and create a piece for the annual Dixon Place show (as well as being able to visit different dance shows) inspired me to reach for my goals and continue wanting to learn more. I honestly could not get enough of this program and would love to go back to experience and educate myself more on the dance community in New York. Jessica nurtured every single mentee so we personally grew and continued to learn within the professional field.”
Jackie McCreavy
DeSales University c/o 2015
Mentee 2014 & 2015
"The J CHEN PROJECT Mentee Program is a great experience for pre-professional/professional dancers!
I have had the pleasure of joining this program and working with Jessica Chen multiple times. The program gave me the chance to experience New York's art scene in many amazing ways. Along with seeing all that the city has to offer, I was introduced to many amazing dancers, instructors, and mentors whom I still keep in touch with today. The New York dance scene is an ocean full of many different currents and tides; being a part of this program pushed me to discover who I am as an artist and guided me towards my interest in New York and its dance scene."
Paige Matzerath
DeSales University c/o 2018
Mentee 2016
"The J CHEN PROJECT Mentorship program is the full guide to becoming a professional dancer in NYC. Through this program you are immerse in so many different aspects of life as a dancer in a major city. I truly learned so much about myself, city living and the art form of dance as a whole through this mentorship. I would recommend this program to any aspiring dancer who is ready to tackle the professional world. I left this program with the confidence and skill set needed to grow and learn in this beautiful field. "
Maddie McCadden
DeSales University c/o 2017
Mentee 2016
"Attending the J CHEN PROJECT Mentee Program is an amazing experience for preprofessional and professional dancers! This program pushed me to cultivate my art form like never before allowing me to experience life as a dancer in beautiful New York City first hand. Spending hours training alongside professionals, attending local performances, and even performing in a professional showcase truly confirmed my professional goals. Spending time with other young artists and Jessica helped me create lasting friendships and discover a wonderful mentor. I left the program with a new found confidence in myself as an artist. The J CHEN Summer Mentee Program is definitely a game changer when it comes to summer dance intensives."
Becca Mann
DeSales University c/o 2017
Mentee 2016
"Since the moment I decided to make a career out of my lifelong love of dance I have been trying to educate myself and grow as an artist. This, of course, meant taking an endless amount of classes and signing up for as many programs as I could. The J CHEN PROJECT Mentee Program was like nothing I have ever experienced. Little did I know that this program would become a blessing in my career, art form, and overall life. The Mentee program created the ultimate learning experience as well as environment. I was surrounded by other young adult dancers with similar goals and ambitions and we were learning from people who are currently pursuing exactly what we wish to pursue. Even though we were all taking part in this mentorship together, Jessica made sure to make it personal for all of us. This is one of the aspects that I personally enjoyed the most. Working with Jessica Chen made me realize exactly what I wanted to do in the near future as well as provided me with the knowledge of what steps I need to take in order to achieve said realization. I would suggest the J CHEN PROJECT to all pre-professional, as well as professional dancers. The program is the perfect glimpse into the New York City dance scene, in addition to an amazing experience and opportunity to cultivate your art form. I am endlessly grateful for the time I spent learning from Jessica Chen. It amazes me how much I was able to grow as a dancer as well as a person in 2 short weeks."