WCDC Announces Change in Directorship

“In any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.” – Abraham Maslow

Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company’s 15th season is starting a new chapter for the company. Jessica Heaton, the company’s longtime fierce and solo leader, is stepping into a new role – the Executive Director – and bringing in Jocelyn Smith as Artistic Director. This is a change that the company is very excited to make in moving forward and handling the impressive growth of this company. While growing is always exciting, change is often bittersweet and comes with many questions, but dancers and patrons have nothing to worry about.

Growth and Direction for WCDC

This change is necessitated by the immense amount of work that goes into the creation of shows and running a company. WCDC historically produced two shows per year but with the demand of audiences and the drive from dancers, the company increased to four shows per year in 2021, in addition to weekly classes and a handful of major workshops. The administrative and artistic needs of a growing company made it clear this was a two-person job, and Jessica began to search out who would be a good fit for guiding the artistic vision of the company. WCDC’s most recent show “Savor” was artistically directed by Jocelyn Smith in efforts to secure her master’s degree and provided Jessica and Jocelyn the perfect opportunity to test drive a dual running of the company. The division of responsibilities went smoothly and each of them was able to focus in and thrive in new ways.

Looking Forward with Excitement

When asked what they are looking forward to most in their new positions Jessica said “I am looking forward to putting all my efforts into advocating for the company and increased pay for dancers, as well as forming strong relationships with donors and other supporters. My
greatest challenge with administrative work has always been creative problem solving with non-creative things. As the Executive Director, I have to get creative with the budget, creative with collaborations, and creative with scheduling. This is different than being creative in order to
create a new artistic work, but the same elements apply. It causes some stress, but I have learned to trust the process.”

Jocelyn responded with, “I look forward to continuing to provide professional dance opportunities in Utah County and further WCDC’s artistic repertoire. I’m excited to challenge the traditional views of dance in the county by continuing with WCDC’s site-specific and norm-bending shows alongside traditional theater productions.” With two positive and powerful women at the helm, we are confident this next season will be beautiful and one that audiences won’t want to miss.

Even though Jessica will no longer be Artistic Director, dancers can still look forward to being in her choreographic works occasionally. Jessica says she will miss the creative process she has been devoted to for 23 concerts, but this job change will allow her to hone her own artistic voice as an individual. She has been able to lean into more freelance choreography jobs, including a residency, local projects, and a commission with Restore that will be presented this September. She also plans to occasionally choreograph for the company as time allows.

Get to Know the New Artistic Director

We hope you are as excited as we are for all of the new opportunities this season will bring. To introduce our new Artistic Director to the public, we leave you with this beautiful sentiment that Jessica shared with last season’s cast at the company’s closing social:

“After Savor, as I heard people’s wonderful feedback about the show, it was a new sensation to be able to answer, “It’s all Jocelyn, she made this happen!” But someone told me, “Ya, but you picked her.” And of that I am immensely proud.

I saw Jocelyn perform as a student at UVU probably in 2014 and was immediately drawn to her ability and presence. I was so excited when she showed up to audition for some guest dancer positions for our June 2015 show. She finished her degree and started teaching at Provo High and joined Wasatch II in January 2017 for its first ever season, where she stayed only a few months before being offered a main company position. She danced there from Fall 2017 to May 2019, performing 16 weeks pregnant with her first baby at her final show with us. She took
some time off but stayed close to the company, gave feedback for our Fall 2019 show and mentored a new choreographer for our March 2021 concert.

She accepted the newly open position of Associate Director in April 2021 as Rachel Robison and Heather Norton moved into teaching positions. Jocelyn has choreographed/directed 19 works for WCDC. For her work she has received the Extraordinary Artist award in 2019 and 2024, the Audience Choice award in 2022, and the Arches Award from the Utah Dance Film Festival for her film Feeling Small in 2021. She also received the Standout Soloist and Dancers Choice awards in June 2018.

Jocelyn has earned my complete trust and my absolute artistic admiration. I always think her ideas are great, yet somehow, she always delivers more than she originally envisions. She has mastered the unexpected and the creation of an emotional layer that transcends the physical – all while maintaining a good grasp on who her audience is, and how to meet them where they are. I am thrilled to watch how she shapes and coaches the artistic offerings of our company.

At the end of Savor, hours after the last patrons had left and we were just waiting for video footage to transfer to the hard drive, Jocelyn kept saying, “That was so much fun!” She looked overjoyed and energized. And though it was a long day, I did not feel nearly as comatose as I usually do at the end of a concert. This tells me we’re on to something great, something sustainable, and something that can take us into the future stronger than ever. Welcome to a new era of WCDC!” -Jessica Heaton

Join us in Celebrating

We extend a heartfelt thank you to Jessica Heaton for her artistic directorship that founded and carried the company for 14 years. WCDC looks forward to the increased momentum that comes with Jessica’s new role and Jocelyn’s mentoring and training of WCDC’s roster. Share in the comments your well wishes for both directors and tell us what else you hope to see from WCDC in its milestone 15th season beginning this August!

Article written by longtime company member, Kenzie Gannaway