Alumnus Jessica Taddeo: A Quintessential Arts and Humanities Success Story

RWU Dance & Performance Studies Program is thrilled to share the good news that one of our graduates: dancer, choreographer, philosopher, political activist, writer – Jessica Taddeo '23 – was recently published in the journal The Dancer Citizen, Issue 17: Combine, Craft and Create: Centering Work at the Edges.

On Jessica’s LinkedIn page, she shares:

"I am honored to announce that my undergraduate thesis,"The Creative Process: A Study of the Metaphysical Underpinnings of Movement" has been published in the most recent issue of The Dancer-Citizen!

My thesis was awarded with distinction upon its completion in May of 2023 after a year-long exploration of theory and movement. I'd like to thank Cathy Nicoli and Michael Wright, the faculty at Roger Williams University who served as my academic advisors during this project and were integral in its completion, and editors Erica Moshman, Jane Alexandre, and Emily Moss Metzner for their collaboration on this version.

I would also like to thank my dear friend and fellow artist Megan Hemenway for documenting the piece and taking the photos included in the final publication, and my cast of performers Madison Benson, Stephanie Davis, Elish Flynn, Cara Grady, Maddie Huntington, Julia Keldsen, Katie Menendez, Temple Nightingale, Gabriella Poulin, Emma Trahan, Zoie Vail, and Gabriella Wade; who helped turn my vision into something everlasting. 

You can read the abstracted thesis here: The Creative Process – Dance and the Metaphysical Transcendence of Mind/Body Dualism."

Congratulations Jessica – as well as all the dancers who made the piece possible! We are very proud of you!