the artist — robyn ayers

the body as intuitive, intentional, impulse

artist’s bio

robyn began their training at a young age in kansas city with an emphasis on ballet, modern, jazz, and acting. they moved to nyc in 2012 to complete their training at the ailey school, where they studied classical ballet, horton, graham, improvisation, & dance composition. their time at ailey included the tutelage of Graciela Kozak, Ari Mayzick, Ana Marie Forsythe, Milton Myers, and Francesca Harper. their studies culminated with the solo performance of Nathan Trice’s “unfold a self” and the production of their senior choreography thesis “From Whence She Came”.

since moving into the professional world, robyn’s career has taken them through formal stage production, site-specific installation, and dance for film; wandering around the intersection between classical modern and gestural contemporary impulse. their artistic priorities are rooted in mindfulness and accessibility, striving to move at the speed of trust and build holistic relationships between artist and audience.

robyn’s performance career spans NYC and surrounding areas. over the years, they’ve worked with Nathan Trice, Thomas A. Woodman, Christian Von Howard, Marcus Jarrell Willis, & Alice Klock. prominent credits include Ben Stamper’s short film “Stay With”, Katherine Maxwell’s stage production “Prism”, and Jacolby Satterwhite’s film installation “An Eclectic Dance to the Music of Time” at Lincoln Center.

in addition to their performance pursuits, robyn is actively honing their pedagogical ethos to support dancers in cultivating an honest and playful love of their bodies & their art. inspired by the work of Katherine Maxwell, Kevin Clark, and Adrian Hoffman, their primary goal as an instructor is to interrupt the teacher/student hierarchy. instead, they lean into movement coaching and guided questions that support dancers in making informed decisions about their bodies and their careers.

most recently, robyn has begun to build their skills within the world of film production, and can be found behind the scenes for Wet Hairy Women, Hivewild, and various student choreographers. they are mostly self-taught, with some instruction from Sarah Keirnan and Quinn Wharton. they use their instincts as a movement artist to create film narratives that work in tandem with choreographic decisions, and use their event management skills to streamline production processes.

currently, robyn dances for Hivewild, cullen+them, and The DynamitExperience. in their spare time, they can often be found hovering over a soup pot or sitting by the ocean with their nose in a book.

artist’s statement

i move through the world of art in the mediums of formal stage production, site-specific installation, and dance for film - wandering around the intersection between classical modern technique and gestural contemporary impulse. i crave a relationship between dance and dancers that is grounded in play, in compassion, in joy, and in honesty. as a movement coach, i seek to cultivate spaces that support artists in making informed decisions about their bodies and their craft. as a performer and creator, i seek to create works that are truly brave - art that leans into the incessant questions of humanity, rather than proposing a neatly packaged solution.

i create art like a telescope focusing on the north star - always adjusting and paying respect to my surroundings, always aware that the canvas is so much bigger than i.

the sensation comes, then the color, then the visual framing, then words, then the movement - slowly dialing stories into focus. i approach narrative the same way that i approach the ocean - rippling through the waves, chin tucked tight and pulling through the current with all the bravery of a child and all the respect of an elder.

my art and my ethics are symbiotic - the goals i set for myself as a person are the same standards that i hold myself to as an artist, coach, and creator. accountability, kindness, patience, play - refusing structural and interpersonal violence in the stories i tell and the transparency between myself, my collaborators, and my audience. movement-based storytelling is the medium i choose to process the world around me and then contribute to a world worth fighting for.