Josh Jones
@lean_in

Joshua Jarvis Jones – Dancer, Facilitator, and Choreographer

Josh Jarvis Jones is a dynamic artist whose path in dance has been profoundly shaped by his own transformative experiences. Trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, Josh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts in Contemporary Dance. His artistic journey has taken him from technical training to a practice deeply rooted in emotional exploration, using dance as a way to communicate universal human experiences.

After a period of personal loss and self-reflection, Josh found contemporary movement to be a vital source of healing and expression. This journey has shaped his approach to dance, balancing the structure of technique with the freedom of emotional authenticity. His work is marked by a commitment to bridging the personal with the collective, using movement as a powerful language for storytelling and connection.

As a performer, Josh has collaborated with a range of artists, including Madeline Shan, Viola Bruni, Megan Broadmeadow, and Ricardo Buscarini. His work with Buscarini on No Lander took him on tours across the UK and Italy from 2015 to 2017, while his collaboration with Shan resulted in the premiere of Sex in Real Life, exploring themes of intimacy and social dynamics. These projects, often involving extensive Research & Development phases, have allowed Josh to contribute creatively and delve deeply into each piece’s thematic core.

Beyond performance, Josh is an accomplished facilitator, leading movement classes and workshops across Europe at events like Circus Festival Rozstoc in Prague, Goulash Disco in Croatia, and Phoenix Fire Convention in the UK. His workshops at the European Juggling Convention emphasize improvisation and contact, tailored to circus and dance performers. In 2024, he rebranded his weekly movement classes in Bristol as Lean_In, fostering a collaborative space for participants to explore creativity, connection, and growth.

Josh’s dedication to his craft extends to his own continuous learning. He completed a 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training in India in 2019 and has since trained intensively in contact improvisation with instructors like Hugh Stainer and Vega Luukkonen. His ongoing practice has taken him to contact improvisation gatherings in the UK, Berlin, Thailand, and India, further informing his work as both a teacher and performer.

Through his work as a dancer, facilitator, and choreographer, Josh invites others to connect with their own stories through movement. His practice celebrates dance as a space where vulnerability, resilience, and shared humanity come together in powerful ways.