Jessica Karis Ray is a multi-disciplinary artist that focuses on dance, choreography, filmmaking and visual mixed media work. She is a native of Oklahoma City, OK currently residing in Brooklyn, NY.

As a filmmaker and video editor specializing in live performance, her work with Nel Shelby Productions launched her career in the performing arts industry, where she has worked widely with dance institutions and independent artists including Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival, New York Live Arts, Kayla Hamilton, Zavé Martohardjono, J. Bouey, Marie Casimir, Celia Bambara, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and many more. Jessica currently works fulltime at Lincoln Center as a Video Project Coordinator.

Jessica’s choreographic project work: Dance into Deliverance, has been performed in numerous festivals and events throughout the East Coast, notably Dixon Place, Triskelion Arts, and Judson Church. Her dance films have screened in festivals across the U.S. and internationally, including her film "Brain Blow" which recently appeared at the 2022 Dance On Camera Festival at Lincoln Center.

As a dancer and performer, Jessica has performed works by Marie Casimir, Mariangela Lopez, Sydnie L. Mosely, Charles Wideman, Amy Smith, Tawanda Chabikwa and Christopher Huggins. Jessica is an artistic collaborator of Spark Creative Lab, an Oklahoma sound painting ensemble who had premiered in 2021. She co-directed and choreographed YIELD, a multidisciplinary response to Maren Hassigners’ work; “Nature Sweet Nature”, in collaboration with Spark Creative Lab and Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. She was a recipient of the 2022 Pepatián Ancillary Residency Project. a multi-disciplinary artist.

Her visual art focuses on acrylic/mixed media work and illustration. She’s been creating and selling artwork for the last 2-3 years. She also has select works featured on Instagram and Etsy.

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