VANESSA OWEN is originally from Amity, Pennsylvania and she received her B.F.A. in Dance from Wright State University.  She has danced professionally with Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company, the Kennedy Center’s production of Children of Eden, Dark Circles Contemporary Dance and Company E.  Vanessa performed regularly at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and worked extensively through the State Department touring as a Cultural Ambassador during her time with Company E. These tours took her to Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Cuba, Israel, Palestine, Republic of Georgia, Azerbaijan, China, and Uruguay where she taught, performed, and choreographed contemporary dance and musical theater productions.

Vanessa was awarded a McDowell Regional Artist Grant, a Fellowship in Choreography by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the Audience Choice Award at the NYC Dance Gallery Festival, and her choreography has been presented at Wright State University, the Women in Dance Conference, YES! Dance Invitational, Velocity DC, Agora Dance, Shenandoah University, McCallum Theatre Choreography Festival, Asheville Fringe Arts Festival, CHOP SHOP Contemporary Dance, Richmond Dance Festival, Versatility Dance Festival, Palm Desert Choreography Festival, Austin Dance Festival, Stavna Ballet and Company E. 

 

She has served on the faculty of Stavna Ballet, Joy of Motion Dance Center, Company E, the Academy at Terpsicorps, and WNC Dance Academy. Since moving to Western North Carolina in 2017 Vanessa has continued to freelance as a professional dancer, while also Co-Directing Stewart/Owen Dance with her husband, Gavin Stewart.