For Musical Theater Triple Threat Jessica Lee Goldyn, Dance Is Where She Feels Deeply Understood

Music and movement have been a part of me for as long as I can remember. Even before I could walk, my mother—a dancer herself—would place my hand on the speaker and say, “Feel the music.” That ignited a lifelong love affair with dance.

I’m so fortunate that this passion still resonates every time I walk through a stage door. There’s still joy in waking up each day knowing that I get to perform. Dancing is where I am most fully present, most deeply understood, and most truly myself. It’s a homecoming where I become one with the music, the audience, and the purest expression of my spirit.

My artistic inspirations run deep, drawing heavily from the legendary artistry of Gwen Verdon and Donna McKechnie. As I was developing my craft, I studied their every move—they paved the way for me. Learning “The Music and the Mirror” from Donna was a career highlight. She gifted me freedom from the inner editor, teaching me to prioritize truth and vulnerability over perfection. This lesson—which I still carry with me now, as I near 40, after 20 years with this piece—reveals dance’s beauty in its humanity. We are, indeed, enough, missteps and all.

I am so deeply grateful for this art form that grants me the space to reveal who I am, to share my deepest feelings, and to offer my joy—both through my own performances and by passing the torch to future generations. I celebrate the incredible lineage that has shaped me. I honor the pioneers who came before me, while simultaneously striving to uplift and inspire those who will follow. If, in some small way, I have managed to make the world a slightly better place, it is fundamentally because of the transformative power of dance.