Jasmin Taylor

Description

Photo is courtesy of Art on theMART

Through my trials of growing up with a single mother on the Southside of Chicago -- homelessness, abandonment, neglect, childhood sexual abuse, and the death of my only mentor – I know what it is like to need liberation and community, and to helplessly, dangerously, not have access to it. Dance, choreography, and music gave me access to freedom of thought, access to knowledge, and opportunities to heal and be in genuine relationships with others. That access and opportunity influences my ethos as a performing artist and individual. My art creates opportunities to experience the universal needs of safety and connection. It is my intention to extend this access and further develop my strategies if selected for this Roster; no one is alone in need. My ability to truthfully share and consciously connect different genres of movement and music with so many different kinds of people via performance art is my greatest personal strength, and it fuels my passion for sonic and somatic creation. . Now is the ideal time for me, as a Black woman and artist, to contribute my talent to safely present and create a wide range of stories to promote unity within diversity.

Work Sample

The title of this work is Trap Moulin Rouge. I am a 2022 Art on theMART commissioned artist. This is the concept video that allowed me to become on of the four commissioned artists. I am creative director, choreographer, producer, composer, and singer on this project. It will premier Sept 8-November 17 nightly via Art on theMART. The run time of this sample is 2 minutes. Trap Moulin Rouge is about bringing 79th street and Black culture to downtown Chicago, and sharing that this culture dominates not only Chicago, but world culture. It's goal is to create and promote equity through the performing arts in my native city.

cue times for work sample- 1:30 - 4:56. The title of this work is Impetus. The total run time of this piece is 30 minutes. This piece is from a weekender I artistically directed, choreographed, and sold out for Links Hall's 40th year anniversary in December of 2018. This show was one of SeeChicagoDance's Top 5 performances of December. The name of the show was Shift Your Paradigm-- about the need for all of us to evolve from independence. to dependence, into interdependence-- which allows for us all to thrive at our highest levels. I secured food sponsorships for this weekender as well.

The title of this work is Betrayal. It was presented at a private SoFar Sounds Chicago recording in December of 2019. My set was 20 minutes, this song is about 5. This is an original song, unreleased. This show also sold out, at semi-colon's bookstore.

Each work sample I submitted it about connection through the performing arts. They also are about creating and promoting equity as I am a Black Woman and full time performing artist, so any space I am in I am advocating for those that not only share my position, but can identify with the obstacles in place because of this position. My entire body of work is about connecting with each other at our best, and leaning on each other in times of need and triumph-- you'll see that within each work sample.

History

Taylor is a native Chicagoan who has trained, worked and lived through the U.S., Israel and Western Europe. Jasmin has studied under Dance Theater of Harlem, Dance Italia and Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. She has performed with the Graham based company Winifred Haun and Dancers; at the Harris Theater, the Goodman Theater, and the Museum of Contemporary Art; and in Memoria with the Alvin Ailey Company and the Netflix series “Soundtrack. As a choreographer and dancer, she has had the pleasure of working with TEDxStanford and for recording artists like Jamila Woods, Smino Brown, and Grammy-Award-winning artists Cashmere Cat and Chance the Rapper. Her choreographic work has been featured in VICE, Rolling Stone, Complex Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, Sun-Times, and more. As a vocalist, Jasmin has headlined at the Promontory and has performed at venues like the Harris Theater, Wicker Park Fest, The METRO, and The Tackroom. She’s also completed a six-week vocal tour throughout the U.S. and London with SoFarSounds.

Artistic Vision

Jasmin Taylor, née Williams, is an anointed, multidisciplinary artist, storyteller and problem solver. ' All of Jasmin’s work encourages true vulnerability and interdependence; she works to promote respect, love, and unity within diversity in all communities.

Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise

I have a huge background before performing in working with children with cognitive disabilities as a house manager and nanny. I also have expertise with newborns, multiples all under the age of five, and I am the youngest of five. So anything children related, I consider myself to have high-skill level. I also pursued Early Childhood Education as a degree for a year and a half, before I surrendered to the calling on my life that is performance art; mainly through the mediums of song, dance, and oration.

Traditional Folk/Ethnic Artform Statement

My parents and their parents are from the south-- negro spirituals and hymnals are important in my household and always have been. Making sure stories are passed down, and more importantly told through song is something that will always be in my work, and something I'm able to share with the general public