Jess Pillmore (Director). Jess offers a variety of professional workshops that focus on: physical theatre, movement, comedy improvisation, choreography, dance, stage combat, songwriting and creative writing. Co-founder of the physical theatre company, Creatively Independent, Jess tours 250+ days/year performing and teaching the performing arts.  At 18, she was recognized for her dance and percussion skills by STOMP.  Jess was a dance major at the prestigious performing arts high school, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, and received her BA in Theatre at Florida State University.  Jess has had the
privilege of studying with many Tony Award winning artists,
such as Ann Reinking, Gregory Hines, Susan Schulman and
Kathleen Marshall, as well as prestigious artists and
companies: Luigi, Pilobolus, Shapiro & Smith Co., Chet
Walker, John Parks and Bardy Thomas.  Her professional work
is an expansive mix of national and international pieces,
including theater, dance, performance art and choreography
for dance, theater and stage combat (1999 National Best Female Actor/Combatant and 2000 Founder’s Award in Unarmed by Society of American Fight Directors). Her work has been performed Off Broadway as well as nationally at fringe theatre festivals, regional theaters, universities and high schools.  In Chicago, Jess was co-director and choreographer for the Neo-Futurists’s award winning musical, “City Girl!”, winning Best Musical at the Minneapolis Fringe Festival. She has worked with students in elementary through college, seminars for teachers and multiple conferences: Florida State Thespians, North Carolina State Thespians, Florida Assoc. of Theatre Educators and Orff Schulwerk Teacher Training workshops.  Currently, Jess is a member of the select list of teaching artists working for ISTA (International Schools Theatre Association).  ISTA reaches students across the globe and is responsible for the IB Theatre curriculum.  In the music industry, Jess has nationally released and toured three albums as a singer/songwriter.  She produced the debut album “Speak True” for NY songwriter, Ron Morris.  All four albums were released on the RoadWorm Music label, started by Bill Pillmore and herself. Her third CD, “Reveal” (recorded with industry heavyweights – Matt Chamberlain & Viktor Krauss), has received rave reviews and is playing across the country. Recently, she composed music for Williamstown Theatre Festival’s Greylock Project.  Jess is writing the music and lyrics for a Montreal fringe show, Last of the
Pretty Girls, to be mounted in 2011.  Her new folk rock musical, It’s All Right Now, co-written with label-mate, Ron Morris, is currently in the studio.  Visit www.jesspillmore.com for more information.  Jess is also a designer for an eco-lux clothing line, A Second Chance.  Her articles and work has been featured in 3 national magazines, including GreenCraft &  Scrappies.  Fall 2011, Jess starts her MFA at Goddard College in Interdisciplinary Arts.