ABOUT

Jillian's Story

Jillian Hopper is artistic director of the Dance Legacy Project along-side her creative partner Prof. Matijas-Mecca. She is also a lecturer in dance and regular rehearsal director for the Department of Dance at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. She specializes in the dance technique of Doris Humphrey with the aim of preserving the technique for future generations as a trustee of the Doris Humphrey Foundation, UK (England). She has taught the technique professionally for the University of Michigan (current), Hillsdale College (current), Eastern Michigan University, Middlesex University (London, UK) The Place (London, UK) and Northern School of Contemporary Dance (Leeds, UK). As rehearsal director for U-M, Hopper has had the pleasure of rehearsing guest works by Richard Alston, Lucinda Childs, Monica Bill Barnes, Alessio Silvestrin, Shannon Gillen (Vim Vigor), and Ohad Naharin among others. 

Hopper received her BA choreography from Middlesex University London, UK (2007) and her MFA Dance Performance from the University of Michigan (2012). In her own work, Hopper explores ritualistic movement concepts with an emphasis on nature’s powerful spirituality. She has performed in works by Monica Bill Barnes, Sidra Bell, Peter Sparling, Tracy Halloran, Danny Lucien Reid, and many of her own compositions throughout the Midwest and Europe.

Hopper has been teaching dance professionally for ten years and performing professionally for more than 25 years. She believes a strong foundation is a key component to dance as an art form and fully enjoys sharing the American legacy of modern dance with her students. She currently resides in Ann Arbor, MI with her husband and daughter.