JD first found the arts in high school. After experiencing bullying, he turned to performance as a way to express himself. At University City High School, he joined the school musicals and soon began taking classes at COCA.
He quickly became immersed in training, dancing every day, and joining COCA’s pre-professional companies. JD credits longtime teacher Lee Nolting as a key influence in both his artistic growth and personal development. He continued taking jazz classes with her throughout high school and still carries her lessons with him today.
“Ms. Lee was everything I wanted to be; she was all my dreams and goals bundled into one person,” JD said. “She still guides me now as I work in education and inspire students.”
For JD, COCA wasn’t just about technique. It was about a deep sense of community.
“We danced with each other, not competing against each other,” he said. “There was so much love. COCA made me feel like there was a place for all of us.”
After graduating, JD attended the Boston Conservatory. While the school offered strong training, the program at the time didn’t align with his specific goals in jazz. He accepted an apprenticeship with Boston Ballet but soon booked a major opportunity as a lead role in Disney’s premiere of Pocahontas.
When he returned from the apprenticeship, JD decided to move on and focus on performance full-time. He moved to New York and soon booked Saturday Night Fever in Germany. That role led to Broadway and a national tour.
“That’s when my career really started,” he said. “I was finally living up to the potential my mentors saw in me. They gave me the love for the arts and the skill to support it.”
Throughout his career, JD has prioritized storytelling and emotional connection. While strong training is important, he believes the goal is always to move the audience.
His credits include performing as an aerialist for Lionel Richie & Usher, working with Fantasia in The Color Purple, aerial swinging for Dirty Dancing, performing for Disney (Broadway, Disney World, & Tokyo), working on Céline Dion’s One Heart music video, and dancing on cruise ships.
“I feel so blessed,” he said. “I’ve been a joyful passenger along for the ride.”
Today, JD works at El Puente, a social justice-based school in Brooklyn, New York. He serves as the Integrated Arts Project (IAP) Coordinator at a middle and high school, integrating the arts into academic subjects to build retention, critical thinking, and student confidence.
“Leading with vulnerability, kindness, and honesty is so important,” said JD. “The arts naturally foster inclusion, and those lessons will inform you for the rest of your life.”
He also choreographs school performances, leads arts programs, and helps make the arts part of students’ everyday lives. Recently, his school’s debate team won a national championship.
JD is also completing his BA at St. Mary’s College of California to open more opportunities in arts administration.
To young artists, JD shares this advice:
“We all have that voice that says, ‘Am I good enough?’ But you have to be the one who says, ‘Yes, I am.’ You wouldn’t be in the room if you didn’t belong. Be your own champion. Stay focused. Stay humble. Keep growing your talent. Be vulnerable. Stay empathetic. Work hard. Remember that your true talent isn’t always your art; sometimes it’s your heart and kindness,” said JD.
More Images of JD at COCA:
