Vanessa
Strahan
Performer, Director, Choreographer, Teaching Artist, Arts Administrator
ABOUT
ME!
Vanessa is a performer, director, choreographer, teaching artist, and arts administrator located in the Roaring Fork Valley.
She serves as the Director of Education at Theatre Aspen, as well as teaching, directing, writing, and choreographing for the company.
Prior to coming to the valley, she worked in Chicago as the Education Director at Mudlark Theater, as well as with companies such as Northlight Theatre, The Actor's Gymnasium, and Joel Hall Dancers & Company. She's also a proud founding member of Arts Ed Chi, an arts education advocacy and training coalition for Chicago area companies.
She graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. in Theatre, minor in Political Science, certificate in Musical Theatre, and module in Musical Theatre Choreography. While at Northwestern, Vanessa served as Outreach Director and a teaching artist for Seesaw Theatre and lead community outreach and accessibility efforts for The Waa-Mu Show. She's passionate about inclusive and accessible theatre as a teacher, administrator, and artist.
When she's not in rehearsal or teaching, you can find her doing yoga, dancing, boxing, listening to true crime podcasts, baking, or re-watching The West Wing for the 32nd time.
New News!
I'm excited to be leading Theatre Aspen Education's premiere Devising production this spring!
And don't miss my choreography in
Aspen Country Day's All School Production at the Wheeler Opera House in May!
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Work with youth
Over my past eight years as a teaching artist, I have experienced firsthand the impact of meaningful arts education on students of all backgrounds and abilities. By fostering agency, creative-decision making, self-advocacy, and play through the performing arts, I hope to facilitate spaces where young people can become better communicators, collaborators, and community members. Time and experience have only strengthened my belief in theater as an essential tool of social-emotional learning, and the centrality of empathy to community health and joy.
Also, silly games will be played.
