Jenefer Davies

Fulbright-University of Roehampton Scholar Award (All Disciplines)

Jenefer Davies is Professor of Dance at Washington and Lee University, Artistic Director of the W&L Repertory Dance Company, and the first woman to chair the Department of Theatre, Dance & Film Studies. She received a MALS in dance from Hollins University and an MFA in choreography from The George Washington University. Jenefer created one of the first academic programs in aerial dance in the United States. Her book Aerial Dance: A Guide to Dance with Rope and Harness was published by Routledge Press in 2017 and Writing the Body was published in 2023. Davies was named the 2021 Researcher of the Year by the National Dance Education Association for her pioneering work in aerial dance. While at the University of Roehampton, Davies will teach and conduct research in embodied practice through vertical and other dance forms and offer community-based classes. She seeks to bring new pedagogical tools back to her home university and expand scholarly discourse between artists, academics, and communities.