Jennifer Bauer-Conley - Director/Choreographer/Arts Educator
 
Testimonials and References
 
 
Jennifer working with the cast of "42nd Street" at Clarkstown South High School
 
 
"Jen working as a choreographer, director, dance captain or cast mate, is always a fun learning experience. As a director, she's specific yet versatile when it comes to explaining characters to her actors. Her choreography is the perfect blend of challenging and simple to make the overall effect impressive. Still the most important aspect of the JBC experience is her friendly and jovial persona. She is truly a joy to work with."
 
-John, 18
 
Jennifer working with the cast of "Footloose!" at White Plains
Performing Arts Center
 
 
"I am a senior in high school, and I plan on pursuing a career in theatre. I have worked with Miss Bauer-Conley for four years in various performing groups and five different shows. In those shows, I have played everything from ensemble to lead roles and she was equally as helpful in both situations.
      A good director doesn’t tell you how to fix a problem, a good director helps you work through the problem by stimulating new ways of approaching it. In that sense, Miss Bauer-Conley is an excellent director. She is not only patient and understanding, but she is inspirational and encouraging. I got my first lead role in a show she was directing and choreographing. I had a lot of trouble getting comfortable with my character, Miss Bauer-Conley would stay with me after rehearsals and help me dig deeper into the role. During those small character sessions, she was able to lift my confidence and excitement about the character. Ultimately, the show turned out to be excellent and the audience was amazed at the depth of my character, which would not have been if not for her.
      Miss Bauer-Conley is an excellent director in that she doesn’t display superiority to her pupils, instead, she builds a relationship with them. I feel it’s very important to have a director you can talk with about anything, and she was just that. I always felt very comfortable talking to her, she is an encyclopedia of good advice. She is also patient with choreography, if I ever had a problem with a dance step, I could pull her over at any time and she would help. Miss Bauer-Conley is also open to the actors’ opinions. If there was ever something that felt awkward onstage, she was more than willing to talk about it.
      In rehearsal Miss Bauer-Conley always found a way to make everyone happy. Even during those long tech rehearsals, when everyone is in bad mood, she found ways to make people smile. For example, she introduced something called the “Happy Yum Yum Box.” This contraption was a decorated shoe box where cast members could drop small notes for each other. At the end of each long rehearsal, we would all sit down and she would read the notes out loud. Each note would make someone smile, either it was compliment, a joke, or something ridiculous, the box led to many, many inside jokes.
      Miss Bauer-Conley is a joy to work with. She is inspiring, personable, uplifting, and, most importantly, she truly cares about the show she is working on. I know she will be successful wherever she goes because she is such an astounding director."
 
-Shay, 17
 
 
Jennifer with the cast of
Yorktown Stage's premiere production of "High School Musical 2".
 
 
"I worked with Jen Bauer-Conley in four musicals that spanned the four-year period of my high school career. Jen’s contributions as a choreographer and director have significantly raised the level of quality in our performing arts program. The creativity in her choreography and direction gave every one of the shows that Jen worked on an originality unlike anything our high school had done before, or has done since. On a more personal note, I owe much of my own growth as an actor and dancer to Jen. Through her instruction, she aided me in improving all aspects of my performances, ensuring to bring out the very best in myself as an actor. The highlight of my experience working with Jen came my senior year when I was cast as Willard in the musical, Footloose. I was not a very experienced dancer, and Jen worked tirelessly to help me execute the difficult choreography. I am very proud of my performance in Footloose, which would not have been a fraction of what it was without Jen. A patient and nurturing teacher, Jen Bauer-Conley handles her work in the performing arts with immense care and compassion."
 
-Marc, 20
 
 
 
 
 
Jennifer working with the cast of "Footloose!" at White Plains Performing Arts Center
 
 
"I have been working with Jen for the past 4 years and she consistently amazes me!!  She is an extremely talented dancer and choreographer.  Jen has managed to get many of her students up on the stage dancing who never thought that they would ever feel comfortable dancing in front of an audience, especially the boys.  Aside from dance, Jen is also a very talented director.  She directed me this summer at the WPPAC in Footloose and she was fantastic.  She has a great working relationship with all of her students as well.  We know when to be serious and focus and when to joke around.  I have a great deal of respect for Jen and I have learned a real lot from her.  I have worked under her as a cast member in several shows and beside her as a dance captain in several shows and she is a fantastic teacher and role model.  She is extremely talented, creative and very smart.  I feel fortunate to have met Jen because she gives so much to her students and always has a big smile!!"
 
-Brittany, 16
 
 
 
Jennifer (center, in blue) with
Saddle River Day School's Show Choir.
 
 
"I have known Jen Bauer-Conley for four years, performing along
side her and taking direction from her in four productions.  During our time as cast mates, she served as the associate director/ choreographer, a job in which she excelled.  In each of these productions she was a constant source of support.  Jen was helpful in teaching choreography
to the cast and helped us to practice and perfect our dance routines.
     This past spring I was fortunate enough to work for her during a
production in which she was the choreographer.  It was a wonderful experience, one that I will take with me for a long time.  Jen has a unique and creative vision for every show and executes them successfully each time.  She is an excellent communicator and was able to help the cast not only with the choreography, but also with the direction.  Her instructions were never lost in translation and
she found a way to relate to her students in order for them to better understand.
     This summer, I reunited with Jen during a production of “Footloose.” Approximately two weeks into the rehearsal period, I was promoted to a new character.  This change required me to not only catch up on the material which had been previously covered, but also to master the material from the new
rehearsals.  As the associate director/choreographer (and a cast member), Jen was there
every step of the way.  She met with me repeatedly before and after rehearsals to help me go over dances and scenes so that I could transition smoothly into the
new role.  Her dedication was unparalleled.  There is no doubt that without Jen’s constant help and guidance, I would not have felt as comfortable with the
transition and would certainly not have been as successful.  I can't wait for the opportunity to work with Jen again!"
 
-Ali, 19
 
 
Jennifer with members of
The Helen Hayes Youth Theatre.
 
"I have know Jen for 4 years and have the utmost respect and admiration for her both as a person and a professional choreographer and director.  She is incredibly talented and has a strong work ethic and a spirit and enthusiasm which is contagious. She works exceptionally well with her peers, students and parents. Jen has served as an outstanding role model to my daughter and many other students that she has worked with over the years. She is highly intelligent and creative and has a knack for sizing up her students and putting them in roles where they will shine and grow as performers and people. She creates an environment where the students have fun while they work hard and learn. She pushes her students to be the best that they can be and the students love working with her. Jen is just the best and I am so very thankful that my daughter had the opportunity to work with her. She learned so much from her and has chosen to pursue theater/dance/music in college because of the wonderful enriching experiences that she has shared with Jen over the years."
 
-Pam, parent of longtime student
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jennifer with longtime students Regan and
Delaney Moro at Delaney's opening night
   performance of the hit Broadway musical "13".
 
Jennifer helps apprehensive "Phantom
of The Opera" cast member Colin Brophy
apply his false mustache for performance.
 
 
"To whom it may concern, 
      I write this letter to recommend Jennifer Bauer-Conley for a teaching artist position in your organization.  Jen has worked as a teaching artist, director,  choreographer and development assistant for the Renaissance Theatre Academy for two seasons.  Her work is impeccable. 
      The inaugural season of our summer program heavily relied upon the production staff to develop new techniques in working with the youth population and to incorporate skills beyond the realm of their position.  Jen has dynamic choreography and great skill in guiding youth of all dance skill levels to perform cohesively.  Her “eye” as a director and her ability to lead others well played a huge role in the success of our first season of productions. 
      The summer program was so successful that we had an 85% return of students for our second year.  The staffing diagram was revised and Jen was asked to return to both direct and choreograph all three summer productions because she had shown the ability to accomplish more with the students in her organization, delegation, youth development understanding and leadership than what a larger staff struggled with previously.  Jen subsequently had led another successful summer for the program. 
      Jen is a true teacher, always breaking down the reasoning for her students to understand the work and what’s expected of them.  She commands a team of students and co-workers with patience and demands high quality of all.  Her concern is not skill level as much as a students’ integrity to themselves in the tasks they are being asked to do. 
      Jen will always pitch in to help the team, whether helping co-workers in their responsibilities, the organization to meet its goals, or putting in extra time to help a student individually.  I highly recommend Jen for your organization or program.  It has been a great pleasure to work with her."   
 
-Toni-Michelle Rubio
Director of Education, Renaissance Theatre Academy-
White Plains Performing Arts Center and
Executive Director, The Living Museum Company, Incorporated
 
 
 
Jennifer (seated, center), with members of Saddle River Day School's Drama Club.
 
 
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