Joyce Creative Residencies
The Joyce Theater Foundation’s Creative Residencies Program supports the dance development efforts of choreographers as they create and prepare new work.
Designed to give choreographers the time and space to experiment in a supportive environment, the residencies focus on early and mid-career choreographers. Primarily supporting New York City-based artists, residencies include the following benefits:
- Commissioning funds towards the creation of the work developed during the residency
- Studio hours at the New York Center for Creativity & Dance
- The assistance of a choreographic advisor to help shape, edit, and provide feedback
- The opportunity to show the work in front of an invited audience
Programmatic support provided by:
Joyce Creative Residencies support artists selected by The Joyce’s Programming department. If you have specific questions about the residencies program, you are welcome to get in touch with us by contacting Programming Manager Noa Rui-Piin Weiss at nweiss@joyce.org.
The 2024–2025 Joyce Creative Residencies artists are Naomi Funaki and Claude “CJ” Johnson. Learn more about the artists below.
NAOMI FUNAKI
Naomi Funaki is an award-winning tap dance artist from Tokyo, Japan. She is currently living in New York City and working with New York based companies. She was selected as a winner of Princess Grace Award 2023 as a performing artist and was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” 2024 as a choreographer and performer.
Naomi moved to New York to pursue her tap dance career in 2016, training at Steps on Broadway as an IISP student. She has worked for Ayodele Casel, Caleb Teicher & Company, Music From The Sole, and Dorrance Dance. She choreographed for “Ayodele Casel’s Artists At The Center” (New York City Center) and worked as an assistant choreographer for Caleb Teicher for “Bzzz” (Joyce Theater). She is also an alumnus of The School at Jacob’s Pillow for their tap dance program of 2017. Other favorite performance credits include Tap Family Reunion, Fall For Dance (New York City Center), Vail Dance Festival, Dance Against Cancer (Lincoln Center), and with Ayodele Casel and Arturo O’Farrill (Joyce Theater), The MET Gala, YouTube Brandcast Event (Radio City Music Hall), Works & Process (Guggenheim), “Infinity” in Tokyo, “Chasing Magic” with Ayodele Casel and Arturo O’Farrill (Joyce Theater & American Repertory Theater) and All Arts TV.
CLAUDE "CJ" JOHNSON
A Chicago native, now based in Brooklyn, Claude "CJ" Johnson is a dancer, choreographer, and movement director. After finishing his studies at The Chicago Academy for the Arts and Suny Purchase College, where he was awarded the Adopt-A-Dancer Scholarship, Claude then became a full-time company dancer with A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham from 2017-2022 where he became a Princess Grace 2021 nominee. Claude has gotten the opportunity to perform works by Kyle Abraham, Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Twyla Tharp, Aszure Barton, Johannes Weiland, Doug Varone, Kevin Wynn, Nicole Von Arx, Keerati Jinakunwiphat, Princess Madoki , and many more. As a performer, choreographer and black queer artist, Claude dances to translate the human experience to audiences to recognize the art form of dance as the best catalyst to motivate self-expression and social change. In any artistic space he believes his responsibility is to increase the knowledge and perspective of his community's vast experience.
Past Creative Residency Recipients
2023-24
Caleb Teicher (JTP)
Heart of Brick - Raja Feather Kelly
Kayla Farrish
André Zachery
Max Roach Project (JTP) Rennie Harris
Music From The Sole
2022-23
Hope Boykin
2021-22
LaTasha Barnes
Kyle Marshall
Asun Noales
Katy Pyle
Leonardo Sandoval
2019-20
Faye Driscoll
Beth Gill
Michela Marino Lerman
Stephen Petronio
Pam Tanowitz
Caleb Teicher
2018-19
Kyle Abraham
Camille Brown
Ayodele Casel
Michelle Dorrance
Rennie Harris
Kate Wallich
2017-18
Kyle Abraham
Beth Gill
Arthur Pita
Twyla Tharp
2016-17
Emery LeCrone
Amy Siewert
2015-16
Liz Gerring
Pam Tanowitz
2014-15
Michelle Dorrance
Twyla Tharp
Kate Weare
2013-14
Brian Brooks
Doug Elkins
2012-13
Nora Chipaumire
Stephen Petronio
Pam Tanowitz
2011-12
Kyle Abraham
Sarah Michelson
Andrea Miller
Jason Samuels Smith
2010-11
Kyle Abraham
Monica Bill Barnes
Alexandra Beller
Wally Cardona
Nora Chipaumire
Faye Driscoll
Doug Elkins
Jessica Lang
Mark Lonergan
Gesel Mason
Andrea Miller
Zoe Scofield
Pam Tanowitz
Kate Weare
Christopher Williams
2009-10
Julian Barnett
Kimberly Bartosik
Pele Bauch
Faye Driscoll
Pontus Lidberg
David Thomson
2008-09
Kyle Abraham
Vanessa Justice
Sydney Skybetter
2007-08
Sarah Michelson
Tiffany Mills
Regina Nejman
Jody Oberfelder
dre.dance (Andrew Palermo, Taye Diggs)
Tim Rushton
Hattie Mae Williams
2006-07
Rebecca Lazier
Ashleigh Leite
Martine Pisani
John Selya
Kate Weare
2005-06
Anita Cheng
Christopher Elam
Edisa Weeks
Christopher Williams
Ellis Woods
2004-05
Monica Bill Barnes
Claire Byrne
Lawrence (Larry) Goldhuber
Rebecca Stenn
Reggie Wilson
2003-04
Karole Armitage
Deborah Hay
Larry Keigwin
John Kelly
Ali Kenner
Nicholas Leichter
2002-03
Robert Battle
Keely Garfield
Zvi Gotheiner
Neil Greenberg
Sarah Michelson
Christopher Wheeldon
2001-02
Hope Clark
Daniel Gwritzman
Tere O’Connor
Stephen Petronio
Donna Uchizono
Yasuko Yokoshi
2000-01
Melissa Briggs
Wally Cardona
Iréne Hultman
Heidi Latsky
Bebe Miller
Julie Atlas Muz
1999-2000
Jamie Bishton
Mark Dendy
David Neumann
1998-99
Sean Curran
Susan Marshall
Ben Munisteri