Taryn Kaschock Russell
Director of the Harkness Dance Center at 92Y
Taryn Kaschock Russell was named the Director of the 92Y Harkness Dance Center in September of 2019. She provides overarching vision, partnership, and support for the School of Dance and the Dance Education Laboratory while also leading all curatorial performance opportunities, workshops, and artist residencies. Under her leadership, in the fall of 2021 the 92nd Street Y launched the Harkness Mainstage Series, bringing a year-long dance series to the Kaufmann Concert Hall stage—where Alvin Ailey premiered Revelations in 1960—for the first time in over 50 years. In the spring of 2021 Kaschock Russell created a mid-pandemic online opportunity, connecting emerging choreographers with established industry leaders and company directors: Future Dance Festival introduced the work of 21 choreographers to directors from Ballet Hispanico, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, RUBBERBAND, AIM by Kyle Abraham and the Martha Graham Dance Company.
Prior to 2019, Kaschock Russell served on the Artistic leadership team of the Juilliard Dance Division for three years, and between 2013 and 2019, Kaschock Russell served both as faculty at the Juilliard School and as a lecturer at the Conservatory of Dance, SUNY Purchase. Over the past two decades, she has been a company guest instructor for Abraham in Motion, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Ballet Hispanico, Ballet BC, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, while also teaching frequently for both the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Gibney Company during their New York seasons. Before moving back to New York in 2013, Kaschock Russell served as rehearsal director for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago for one season and as the director of Hubbard Street 2 for five. She also enjoyed a twelve-year performing career with both Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and the Joffrey Ballet, traveling extensively with both companies, performing works by George Balanchine, John Cranko, Agnes de Mille, Martha Graham, Lar Lubovitch, Jiří Kylián, Nacho Duato, Ohad Naharin, and William Forsythe.
Kaschock Russell currently serves as an Artistic Advisory Council of MOVE[NYC], an organization whose mission she passionately supports, and as a member of the Advisory Board for Back to Healing, which provides positive empowerment and community for individuals living with scoliosis.