Thea Jones is a multi-hyphenate creative in the city. She handles education and engagement at OZ Arts, and is an acclaimed dancer and founding member of shackled feet DANCE. When Thea is not working with the community, you can find her teaching dance classes to our young youth, choreographing an amazing play to managing speciality art projects. Get to know Thea and her newest work coming to OZ Arts December 5 & 6, 2025.
Thea Jones
What brought you to Nashville? I am a Nashville native:).
What do you do or create in Nashville? I am the Director of Education and Engagement at OZ Arts and strive to create and curate free multi-part engagements that authentically grow and nurture audiences and budding contemporary arts professionals.
In addition to this work, I align and place teaching artists in schools to support school day and afterschool programming and am currently the dance teaching artist at B.E. Academy for Girls. I contribute teacher coaching for those eager to integrate arts into their curriculum and spend time in classrooms to learn how best to bridge ideas to outcome, and I am leading the first ever multi district Dance teacher training series (Rutherford, MNPS, Wilson) that aims to build community, assess and quickly address needs, provide tangible resources, and expand cultural dance arts competencies.
I am a founding member and co-artistic director of shackled feet DANCE!, Nashville’s all-inclusive modern dance collective with Shabaz Ujima. Shabaz and I are co-choreographing and will be presenting SYNERGY, in collaboration with acclaimed musician, visual and multimedia artist Rod McGaha at OZ Arts Nashville, Dec 5-6, 2025, with a multicultural, multi-generational, and differently abled cast.
In addition, I am a member of Sankofa African and Drum, led by Maria “DJEMBE QUEEN” Hall, a board member for the Kindling Arts Festival, and I am entering my 10th year teaching DANCEFIX, a high intensity dance fitness class, at Nashville Ballet with whom I provide seasonal free classes in Walk A Fame Park in collaboration with the Nashville Downtown Partnership. I also teach at The Infinity Fellowship Performing Arts Academy, training and setting works on the most talented 9-14 year-olds.
I have recently choreographed on the STELLAR cast of Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, at the Nashville Children’s Theatre, under the direction of Jon Royal and will be choreographing on Rejoice School of Ballet in the Spring.
I started Skylark Creative Alliance in 2019 as a Creative Advisory consultancy and Catalyst for Creative projects. Under Skylark, I have executed a 4-part women’s empowerment and dance program with MUDA Africa in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, choreographed for the annual United Methodist Conference, joined TPAC’s marketing team as an audience development consultant, and liaised with Springfield, TN’s annual Art Fest on how best to activate demographics and event space.
What inspires you? I am inspired by nature. It knows exactly what to do and when to do it, without force or manipulation. I am also inspired by people in my world who are defying age, societal timelines, and perceived abilities and are boldly and deliberately blazing new paths for themselves.
What excites you the most about Nashville? There is so much creative potential here, so many uniquely talented people, and so many interesting spaces open to being activated. Innovation is in the air, and the opportunities to align, collaborate, create, build and impact are limitless.
Brunch, Lunch or Happy Hour? Happy Hour
Favorite Nashville spot? Kore is East Nashville. It feels like Cheers when you walk in! Even if they don’t know your name, they smile and wave like they do.
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