Elayna Waxse (she/they) is a St. Paul-based choreographer, dance educator, and performer who prioritizes emotional attunement, identity and risk taking in their work. They facilitate an environment of empathy, compassion and witnessing in which artists feel empowered to bring their full social and cultural identity to the work. Elayna has been commissioned by Minnesota Dance Theatre, University of Minnesota Dance Department (2022 Cowles Visiting Artist), Carleton College Dance Department, Threads Dance Project, St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, and the University of Minnesota Opera Theater among others. She was a 2023 alternate selection for the Ann and Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship at Jacob’s Pillow, and a 2024 finalist for the Carmel Dance Festival Choreography Fellowship. In 2023, her work was selected for the National Gala Performance at the American College Dance Association’s National Conference in Long Beach, CA. In 2024, she was invited to join the inaugural cohort of ChoreoTech: Immersive Dancemaking with AI and VR at The School at Jacob’s Pillow.
Professionally, Elayna has danced with Minnesota Dance Theatre, Colorado Ballet/Colorado Ballet Studio Company, Black Label Movement, BodyCartography Project, and with Cie. Ismael Ivo at ImPulsTanz Vienna International Dance Festival and in São Paulo, Brazil.
She was a member of TU Dance from 2012 to 2019, performing works by Alvin Ailey, Dwight Rhoden, Jawole Willa Jo Zoller, Katrin Hall, Francesca Harper, Stephanie Batten-Bland, Gioconda Barbuto, and Gregory Dolbashian among others. They were part of the original creation team of Come Through, the collaboration between TU Dance and Grammy-award winning musical group Bon Iver. Through this collaboration Elayna performed at the Hollywood Bowl (LA, CA), the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, D.C.), and at Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival (Manchester, TN).
Elayna is 2019 recipient of a McKnight Fellowship in Dance, through which they worked with choreographer Bobbi Jene Smith on an original solo.
As a dance educator, they have taught ballet and contemporary dance at the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Dance Theatre, TU Dance, and Macalester College. In 2024, they served as Interim Artistic Director for Minnesota Dance Theatre & School and they are currently the Dayton Hudson Visiting Artist/Teacher at Carleton College.