Joe Celej, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, is a New York City based
creative artist whose career spans nearly fifteen years of
professional concert dance performance, choreographic
investigation, and passionate instruction and mentoring of
students. Joe began his relationship with METdance, then
called Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, as a dancer in
2001, and worked with artists such as Robert Battle, Kate
Skarpetowska, Peter Chu, Mario Zambrano, and Eddy
Ocampo. During this time, Joe served as Resident
Choreographer of METdance, creating several works for the
company including audience and critic favorite, What More?
(2005). In the fall of 2005, Joe relocated to New York City
and performed for over eight years with the internationally
touring/acclaimed concert company Elisa Monte Dance. As
a
senior company member and soloist, Joe performed
extensively throughout the US (including multiple Joyce
seasons) and Europe with EMD, most notably meeting and
performing for the Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg.
Through the EMD choreographic initiative, Joe enjoyed
collaborating and creating six works for the company, and
was honored to have his Joyce Theater choreographic
premiere in 2011. During this time, Joe continued his
relationship with METdance as a guest choreographer,
creating new works including ForeverFleeting (2007) and
primed (2014), guest faculty, and served on the company’s
advisory board. Joe is incredibly honored to be appointed
Associate Director of METdance beginning in its 2015-16
20th Anniversary Season. Joe is a master teacher throughout
the US and Europe. He has been a guest
teacher/choreographer at a variety of educational institutions
including Steps on Broadway, SUNY Buffalo, Rice University,
Salve Regina University, the High School for Performing and
Visual Arts Houston (HSPVA), Episcopal High School, St
John's
School, and the Hetrick-Martin Institute. Joe is proud to
have
been a teacher/mentor to many dancers performing with
multiple dance companies and projects. Joe graduated
summa cum laude with a BFA in dance performance from
SUNY Buffalo, where he was a performing and creative arts
honors scholar and supplemented his training with
scholarships to Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, The Edge,
and
the Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. Joe’s
commercial
credits include Levi Strauss and Company, Wal-Mart, and
the
City of Houston. As an independent artist, Joe has
presented
his choreography at numerous venue and his most recent
endeavors include presenting his new commission, tonight,
we dream together for the Island Moving Company of
Newport, RI at the Great Friends Dance Festival this past
July,
and co-creating a new digital comic book, Drawn In: The
adventures of Jamo Lady and Magners Man with co-author
Clymene Baugher. www.joecelej.com