Wayland Anderson started taking modern and ballet classes while a student at Stephen F. Austin University, and his first ballet class inspired Anderson to “follow this journey.” He earned his MFA from the University of Maryland College in 2007 before joining Columbia City Ballet.

With the company, Anderson performed soloist and principal roles including the Dew Drop Cavalier in The Nutcracker and Darius Rucker in The Hootie and the Blowfish Ballet. He originated roles in The Little Prince and Snow White. He was a member of the company for five seasons.

He has also appeared in performances with Ballet Austin, Columbia City Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre (now known as Charlotte Ballet), DanceSmith, and City Dance Ensemble.

In 2008, Anderson started his own company DANCEWORDZ, which was described as the place where “poetry meets ballet.”

Anderson served as the artistic director of the Rockford Dance Company from 2014-2016 and worked as a real estate agent.

He founded The Wayland Anderson Project, “an artist-centered educational organization focused on building, strengthening, and [encouraging] the development of professional dancers and fostering an engaged community through the study and investigation of movement.”

*In 2018, Anderson pleaded guilty to “felony sexual exploitation of a child;” more information on this case can be found here. 

Sources:

The Centerfold — The Men Behind the Artistic Director, Jasper Project
Rockford Dance Company’s New Director Sees Potential In City, Northern Public Radio
The Wayland Anderson Project
Jasper’s 2013 Artists of the Year, Jasper Project

See also:

Slice: ‘Dance is heaven on earth’ for artistic director Wayland Anderson, rrstar.com

Social media:

LinkedIn Wayland Anderson
YouTube Wayland Anderson