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Elijah Richardson

@elijahrisharson

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Freelance Artist | Creator | Teacher
📍 NYC 🌎
Mestizo🇵🇭🇲🇽
@dancemagazine | 25 to Watch•’23
@newcitymag | Players 50•’25
📥[email protected]

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

💫Players 50: The 50 People Who Really Perform for Chicago💫 @newcitymag

A surprise, blessing, and an honor to begin this new year included in a special list of dancers and makers I’ve admired or worked with in our Chicago community. Congratulations everyone!!

I’m grateful to have made Chicago my artistic home since 2018, and so excited to continue performing, creating, and teaching in a city I love so much! Dreams do come true, thank you Lord for grace, favor, supportive community, and direction! 🙌🏼💛

📸 by Joe Mazza | @bravelux
Artwork by @brendanfernandes
#NewCity #NewCityStage #NewCityMag #NewCityChicago #Chicago #ChicagoDance #Dance #Dancer #Choreographer #Filipino #FilipinoDancer #MaleDancer #DancePhotography #Portrait #Magazine #FullPage #2025 #Players50 #ChapmanCopa #ChapmanUAlumni #ChapmanAlumni #ChapmanUniversity #ChicagosBest taken in Chicago, Illinois by @elijahrisharson

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2 years ago

🦅 FLY LIKE AN EAGLE 🦅
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So excited to cheer on my Chicago dance community in tonight’s @chicagodancehealthfund ‘Dance for Life’ performance! A few months ago, I had the honor of representing @southchicagodancetheatre in a phenomenal promo photoshoot with Todd Rosenberg alongside my dear dance friends @erina_ueda and @emani_drake among others!
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Just a reminder to keep on supporting your local artists, listen to them with compassion, treat them with respect, and show them the love they deserve!
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📸 Todd Rosenberg Photography @toddrphoto
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@chicagodancehealthfund @southchicagodancetheatre @giordanodancechicago @deeplyrooteddance @seechicagodance @auditoriumtheatre @choosechicago @dancemagazine
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#Dancer #MaleDancer #SouthChicagoDanceTheatre #ContemporaryDance #ModernDance #JazzDance #commUNITY #DanceCommunity #Chicago #ChicagoDance #ChicagoDancers #ChicagoDancersUnited #DanceforLife #DanceMagazine #25toWatch #DancePhotography #DancePhotoshoot taken in Chicago, Illinois by @elijahrisharson

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2 years ago

What’s better than 24? #25toWatch 🤩🧽 @dancemagazine

Long Caption alert lol I’m emotional😩🥰
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I don’t even know where to begin. 😭 I’m really overcome with gratitude and joy for this moment and feel honored to be included with such a diverse and gifted cohort of artists. 🌎💞
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🌈Thank you all who have reached out with messages filled with love and support, it reminds me of the journey I’ve been on since I started training at age 12. You have seen me transform through each season of life, generously providing friendship, encouragement, and comfort. This career is no feat done solely alone and I acknowledge my support systems, past and present, who’ve never allowed me to give up on myself.
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🙏🏼 Having previously experienced self doubt, a perfectionist mindset, and lack of self esteem, this validation was hard to accept at first because I didn’t think I was worthy. Yet, as I continue to overcome those issues, I’m always going back to my foundation as a Christ follower. My faith really helped me through trials and I’m glad to have found confidence, peace, and strength in the Lord and his timing of all things.
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🎊That being said, I’m looking forward to what 2023 holds in store. I’m excited to keep my head down, do the work, and be humbled by the craft and the people I work with everyday. If I get a big head, please please check me lol😵‍💫🥊
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📸 my queen @mreidphotog taken in Chicago, Illinois by @elijahrisharson

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4 years ago

The MDP family extends beyond the company.

Meet the Guest Artists joining McKoy Dance Project for Season 8: ECHO.

Throughout the season, these artists will step into the studio and onto the stage with MDP for select works, performances, and projects—bringing their individual artistry and experiences into conversation with our company.

We’re thrilled to welcome them into the work and share the stage together this season.

Swipe to meet our 2026–2027 Guest Artists. 🌟

Photos by Nir Aireli and Michelle Reid.

#McKoyDanceProject #MDPSeason8 #ECHO #GuestArtists #ContemporaryDance

Meet Layla Barber | Guest Artist

LAYLA BARBER (She/Her), is a New York City based artist. She received her BFA from The Ailey School and Fordham University as a Denise Jefferson memorial scholar. She has worked closely with esteemed industry professionals including: Hope Boykin, Ronald K. Brown, Christopher Huggins, Adrienne Hurd, Ronni Favors, Fredrick Earl Mosley, Tamisha Guy, Harrison Guy, Ehizoje Azeke, Kate Skarpetowska and Alonzo King. Layla has danced at venues including Jacob’s Pillow, Carnegie Hall, New York City Center, Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall and Cowell Theater. She has done TV and commercial work for The Walt Disney Company, Paramount Pictures, Bloch Dancewear and CAVA. Her educational background also includes training at Alonzo King LINES Ballet, The Washington Ballet School, Dance Theater of Harlem and Visceral Dance. Along with her dedication to dance and movement practice, she is an avid environmental advocate. Layla is also bilingual in German and English. This is Layla’s first season as a guest artist with MDP.

Meet Ami-Maxine Hill | Guest Artist

AMI-MAXINE HILL (She/Her) is a dancer from Inglewood, California. She began dancing under the guidance of her mother, Marian Tell-Coffield, a former professional dancer, and trained at Lula Washington Dance Theatre and Debbie Allen Dance Academy on a full scholarship. She earned a B.A. in Dance, cum laude, from the University of California, Riverside, before continuing her training at The Ailey School, where she graduated from the Certificate Program in May 2026. During her time at Ailey, Hill performed in Januar taken in New York, New York by @elijahrisharson

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10 days ago

There is no place like home 🌈🌪️💚

Thank you all for an incredible two and a half weeks in Kansas. From Wichita to Kansas City, the people I’ve met and reconnected with have been so special! You just never know where the dance world will take you, and it gets smaller every time! Congrats to all the companies that shared their beautiful work this weekend, we gotta find a way to take the show on tour yall! Until next time~

“Adieu”
Choreography by @skarpetowska
Regina Klenjoski Dance Company @rkdanceco
Dancers: @rayrayyannon @williamgclayton @zimmerman_sam @lille_nightingale @elijahrisharson
“New Dance Partners”
Presented by @midwesttrustcenterjccc
September 18 & 19, 2026

Professional photos by @ryanandrewbruce
#freelancedancer #kansascity #kateskarpetowska #dancephotography #rkdc taken in Yardley Hall At Jccc In Overland Park Kansas by @elijahrisharson

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25 days ago

RESIDUE - What remains after a touch is gone?
Incubated and choreographed @jacobspillow this duet explores our instinct to preserve memory, connection, and the people we once knew and how we can only live with what it leaves behind.

Performed by my co-creators @julia.mccullock and @elijahrisharson

Photos taken by me on the beautiful Henry J. Leir Stage

#tape #residue #choreographer #photographer taken in Jacob's Pillow by @elijahrisharson

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a month ago

@leandro.glory.damasco.jr presented "Residue" danced by @elijahrisharson @julia.mccullock 🖤

Title: “Residue”
Choreographer: Leandro “Engine” Glory Damasco Jr.
Music: Moments by Jakob Ahlbom; Atemporal by Jakob Ahlbom, Anna Dager, Hanna Ekström; Liminal by Beyza
Cast: Elijah Richardson, Julia McCullock by @elijahrisharson

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a month ago

Floating on cloud nine only to be brought back down to earth with my clumsy self 🤪
📍 @jacobspillow
🤳🏼🎥 @leandro.glory.damasco.jr
🎶 @gyallikeclee
#dancer #improv #jacobspillow #cleosol #hairography taken in Jacob's Pillow by @elijahrisharson

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2 months ago

Super grateful for these two @julia.mccullock and @elijahrisharson for joining me on my choreographic journey @jacobspillow and we only just started with so much left to explore. Thank you!

#letsplay #create taken in Jacob's Pillow by @elijahrisharson

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2 months ago

🔓 New character unlocked in Karla‘s spotlight class 😎 @karlapunogarcia • Choreo was so good my Bay Area thizz face came to dance 😏 🌉 • Happy AAPI month 🫳🏼🙂‍↕️🇵🇭💛
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🎥 @_taylor_hutchison
📍 @stepsonbroadway (April ‘26)
#maledancer #freelancedancer #danceclass #nyc #aapi taken in Steps on Broadway by @elijahrisharson

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5 months ago

Here’s me smiling through one of the trickiest seasons, audition season. Lots of video submissions, emails, learning and performing choreo at the speed of light, voice lessons, flights on flights on flights, and trips to Walgreens Photos. Hope someone is willing to hire this guy, cause he’s hungry 🙋🏻‍♂️😅 #freelance #dancer #choreographer #danceteacher #starvingartist taken in Mr. Purple by @elijahrisharson

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5 months ago

HAIR CHECK👑🤭
I forget how long it actually is 😅
Have a great day everyone!
#hair #longhairmen #haircontent #grwm #menshair by @elijahrisharson

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6 months ago