Pictured above: Renderings of the performance spaces in the Colburn Schools campus expansion, scheduled to open in 2027.Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall (left) and the Studio Theater (right). Renderings courtesy of Frank O. Gehry and Gehry Partners, LLP.
(Friday, March 28, 2025, Los Angeles) – The Colburn School announced today the formal appointments of Janie Taylor to the position of Artistic Director and Gavin Kelley as Administrative Director of the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute (TZDI).
Janie Taylor, a noted dancer, teacher, choreographer, former New York City Ballet principal dancer, and member of L.A. Dance Project, has been affiliated with Colburn School since 2016 as both a faculty member and a visiting artist. Initially appointed as Artistic Director of TZDI for the 2024-25 school year last summer, she now formally assumes the role on a continuing basis. As Artistic Director, Janie will continue to shape the artistic and educational direction of the dance program and oversee curriculum development, faculty recruitment, and student recruitment. Her multifaceted professional experience fosters a dynamic learning environment, promoting artistic innovation and cultivating the next generation of dance professionals at TZDI.
Gavin Kelley, a longtime TZDI staff member, served as Interim Administrative Director in the 2024-25 school year and has now been formally appointed as Administrative Director for the immediate future. In this capacity, Gavin plays a key role in ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of all administrative and logistical aspects of TZDI, liaising with faculty, staff, students, and parents, and coordinating events, performances, and initiatives. With over 11 years of experience at the Colburn School, Gavin possesses a deep knowledge of the School and a commitment to the School’s mission of providing access to excellence in the performing arts.
This outstanding artistic and administrative team will provide strong ongoing leadership for TZDI, as the Colburn School prepares to open a magnificent new dance education complex in 2027. Part of Colburn’s highly anticipated campus expansion designed by Frank Gehry, the new dance facilities will include four oversized dance studios, one of which is a specialized tap studio, and a flexible, sophisticated studio theater for rehearsal or performance, with seating for up to 100 and built-in theatrical lighting. The expansion also features a stunning 1,000-seat in-the-round concert hall named for Terri and Jerry Kohl, which can be configured for dance performances and includes an orchestra pit. These new facilities will more than double the footprint of the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute at Colburn.
“Janie Taylor and Gavin Kelley have already made an indelible impact on our dance community, and we are thrilled to have them formally assume these roles as we prepare to open new dance facilities in a few years’ time,” said Sel Kardan, President and CEO of the Colburn School. “Janie’s artistic vision and deep connection to the next generation of dancers, combined with Gavin’s leadership and dedication, ensure an exciting future for TZDI, and we look forward to seeing their continued influence as they guide and inspire our students.”
“I’m honored to continue leading TZDI alongside Gavin and to further contribute to the program’s growth,” said Janie Taylor. “TZDI is a place of creativity and collaboration, and I’m excited to build on its strong foundation while expanding opportunities for our exceptional students. I look forward to continuing fostering an environment where dancers can thrive and push the boundaries of their artistry.”
“I am truly excited to continue working alongside Janie and such a dedicated and talented team at the Colburn School,” said Gavin Kelley. “Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the incredible impact this program has on our students, and together, we will continue to support the talent of the next generation of dancers while creating even more opportunities for our community to thrive.”
Upcoming TZDI events include Counterpointe on March 30, where Music Academy and Dance Academy students team up for a performance of choreography paired with musical masterworks. This year’s Counterpointe will be held at 2245., L.A. Dance Project’s studio and performance space, and the special guest choreographer is Catherine Turocy, co-founder of The New York Baroque Dance Company. The program will also include an original film accompanied by live music, and a piece by Benjamin Millepied.
Coming up on May 11 at 2245., TZDI’s Student Choreography Workshop showcases original works by Colburn Dance Academy artists. Then, on May 17 in Colburn’s Zipper Hall, tap students perform in a year-end Spring Showcase. In the final performance of the year on May 24 at the Luckman Theatre at Cal State LA, the Spring Dance Festival: Ballet, Modern, and Dance Academy brings together Colburn Dance students of all ages for a celebratory year-end program featuring new choreography and beloved masterworks.
Please visit https://colburnschool.edu/dance-institute/ to learn more and purchase tickets.
New facilities for the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute are currently under construction as part of the Colburn Center, the school’s highly anticipated campus expansion designed by Frank Gehry. This expansion will create the largest concentration of buildings designed by Frank Gehry in the world, joining the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall and The Grand complex. This ambitious project will feature five professional-sized dance studios, including a 100-seat studio theater, and a stunning 1,000-seat in-the-round concert hall named for Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall.
Expected to open in 2027, Colburn’s campus expansion will establish the most comprehensive dance education complex in Downtown L.A. With transparent walls in the oversized studios, passersby will witness the beauty and dedication of dance training firsthand. The studio theater, the largest in the School, will function as both a rehearsal space and a professional-level performance venue. It will feature seating for approximately 100 guests, 30 feet of stage depth with scrims, and a cross-over lighting grid for refined lighting design. These greatly expanded dance facilities will accommodate the School’s growing programs in classical ballet, tap, and modern dance.
About Janie Taylor
Janie Taylor was born in Houston, TX where she began her ballet training at age two with Gilbert Rome. She trained at the Giacobbe Academy of Dance in New Orleans from 1993–1996. After attending two years of the summer program at the School of American Ballet, she became a full-time student in the fall of 1996. While a student at SAB, she originated a featured role in Christopher Wheeldon’s Soirée Musicale for the spring workshop performance in June of 1998. She received the Mae L. Wien Award at the SAB Annual Workshop and was invited to become an apprentice with New York City Ballet. A month later, she became a member of NYCB’s corps de ballet. She was promoted to the rank of Soloist in February 2001 and to Principal Dancer in 2005. During her career with New York City Ballet she originated roles in ballets choreographed by Peter Martins, Benjamin Millepied, and Justin Peck. She also performed featured roles in numerous ballets by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, as well as pieces by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Christopher Wheeldon, Susan Stroman, Twyla Tharp, and Miriam Mahdaviani. Ms. Taylor appeared in the film Center Stage directed by Nicholas Hytner which was released in 2000.
She retired from the New York City Ballet on March 1, 2014 and began working as a répétiteur setting works for Justin Peck and Benjamin Millepied, and also started a career in costume design. Her designs can be seen at the New York City Ballet, and L.A. Dance Project. From 2014 -2016, Ms. Taylor relocated to Paris, France where she assisted Millepied with his new works at the Paris Opera Ballet. During this time, she also set works for Miami City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Ballett Dortmund, and Ballet du Rhin. She assisted Christopher Wheeldon with his work as Artistic Director for the Fashion Forward exhibition in Paris at Musee des Arts Decoratif.
Upon returning to the United States in 2016, Ms. Taylor began teaching at the Colburn School in Los Angeles on faculty and as a guest artist. She joined L.A. Dance Project as a dancer, dancing with the company through 2021. She is currently a rehearsal director for L.A. Dance Project. At the suggestion of Millepied, Ms. Taylor ventured into the world of choreography creating her first piece, Adagio in B Minor, in 2019 for L.A. Dance Project. She now has four works in the LADP repertoire.
About The Colburn School
A performing arts institution located in the heart of Los Angeles, the Colburn School trains students from beginners to those about to embark on professional careers. The academic units of the School provide a complete spectrum of music and dance education united by a single philosophy: that all who desire to study music or dance should have access to top-level instruction.
Each year, more than 2,000 students from around the world come to Colburn to benefit from the renowned faculty, exceptional facilities, and focus on excellence that unites the community.
Contacts:
Jennifer Kallend jkallend@colburnschool.edu 215-622-6195
Lisa Bellamore lbellamore@gmail.com 323-500-3071
# # #