Deborah Jinza Thayer | |
|---|---|
| Born | Deborah Jinza Thayer |
| Occupation(s) | choreographer, dancer, artistic director, somatic movement educator |
| Years active | 1980s - Present |
| Career | |
| Current group | Movement Architecture |
| Website | movementarchitecture |
Deborah Jinza Thayer is an American choreographer, dancer, and artistic director, located in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
As an infant, Jinza Thayer lived in Japan and Southeast Asia. [1] [2] Her family moved to the United States, [3] and she was raised in Brooklyn, New York. [1] [4]
She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University [1] [2] [4] [5] [6] and received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from George Mason University. [1] [2] [4] [7] [8]
Jinza Thayer presents her work as Movement Architecture, [8] and serves as the company’s artistic director and primary choreographer. [1] [2] [9]
Jinza Thayer is a registered Somatic Movement Therapist and Movement Educator (ISMETA) [10] [11] and maintains an individualized training practice in St. Paul. [1] She also conducts group movement therapy workshops at Tofte Lake Center in Ely, Minnesota. [12] For more than two decades, Jinza Thayer has been on the faculty of Zenon Dance Company and School (Minneapolis), where she teaches dance and movement. [1] [2] [10]
In 2013, Jinza Thayer was featured in “Minnesota Original,” an award-winning public television show that celebrates the artists of Minnesota. [13]
In 2016, Jinza Thayer and Rosy Simas performed together at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, that was the final performance of Simas' multi-city dance tour. [1] [14]
In 2023, Jinza Thayer was a Visiting Artist at MANCC, Florida State University School of Dance. As part of her residency, she worked with creative collaborators and students on her new work, "From Tokyo to Brooklyn: A Jagged Journey." [15]
In 2024, Jinza Thayer was an artist-in-residence at Rosy Simas Danse. As part of her residency, she previewed “From Tokyo to Brooklyn.” [16] She also appeared in the "52nd Choreographers' Evening" at the Walker Art Center. [8]
Jinza Thayer has created more than 60 original works, [2] [10] including eight full-length evening works. [8] The following is a partial list of her notable productions.
In 2012, Jinza Thayer and Rebecca Surmont were eating together at an outdoor restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota, when a car crashed into the bistro. Jinza Thayer suffered several injuries, including a partially collapsed lung, cracked vertebrae, and fractured ribs. [23]
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