Meet Justice Miles | Dancer/Choreographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Justice Miles and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Justice, what are you inspired by?
I’m inspired by art that evokes a sense of beauty and elegance. I think art that explores darkness is equally important. I find the painter August Renoir very interesting because he was interested in adding beauty because he felt there was a lot of darkness in the world. I also have a love of art by Gustav Klimt because so much of his art features young women existing in this dark and abstract world and you see many themes of life juxtaposed in his golden beautiful paintings. I think this is often how life is, beauty and darkness co-exist but I think trying to add positivity and inspiration is very important for the soul of the world.

I think historical figures of dance that inspire me are the icons Pina Bausch, Carmen de Lavallade, Belen Maya, Carme Amaya, etc. These women were elegant and very strong in themselves and their ideas. I also am inspired by art forms that come from marginalized peoples because there is a lot of adversity to overcome and I believe adversity produces great artistry.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I think the thing that makes my art unique is I feel like it’s a reflection of my multi-racial (African American/Norwegian) identity and upbringing. I think a very special thing about growing up in Denver is I find it’s pretty open-minded. I grew up in a multi-racial household filled with Jazz and African American music and classical music. I’d spend the summers in Minnesota with my mother’s Norweigan American family and we’d eat traditional Norweigan treats from Grandma. I’ve been in diverse communities and was grateful to take contemporary and ballet in college and take Balinese dance from Ketut Marni and on the weekends study traditional flamenco with Gitano guitarist Rene Heredia. I was fascinated by all types of movement traditions. I think it was a mix of my parents, the melting pot of cultures around me, and studying various dance traditions at the same time in a program that encouraged choreography that laid the framework for me to develop a unique choreographic voice.

Hungry for more, I decided to go to graduate school to a program that offered flamenco and contemporary dance. I was fascinated to learn about different styles of dance. I would take flamenco class from guest artists from Spain who only spoke Spanish and it was amazing to learn about movement in a second language and then I’d jump into contemporary dance class or a theoretical class about dance history. I think this desire to make sense of all these traditions emerged and I wanted to create an experimental and informed blend of dance that infused elements of contemporary, flamenco, and blackness. As I was experimenting and developing choreographic work based on this I met the genius flamenco scholar Dr. Meira Goldberg and read her phenomenal book ‘Sonidos Negros: On the Blackness of Flamenco.’ During the last year of my MFA program, I presented my choreography as an emerging choreographer at her international conference at the Fashion Institute NYC and presented my dissertation research at an international conference in Veracruz, Mexico. At these conferences, I met an incredible international community of artists and scholars, and I am so grateful because it changed my life.

Since then I’ve been focused on researching and making dances about floral symbolism and was a Create Award Artist in Residence at Art Gym Denver, and later Dr. Liz Macy and the Metropolitan State University of Denver invited me to be a Music, Race & Social Justice Artist in Residence where I presented the work ‘Soul of Flowers’ earlier this year in collaboration with dancers Rhianna Cranston, Layla Jordan, and Bella Boné Anabella Owens and Solazur.  I’m very grateful to Art Gym Denver and Dr. Liz Macy and the Metropolitan Stat University for the incredible opportunity to share choreography with the Denver community. And I’m now going to be a visiting professor of Dance. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to share a vision of inclusivity, love, and creativity and I hope I can make the world a better place. The best lesson I’ve learned through my journey is to listen to your body and heart and let that guide you.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A trip to the Denver area…..hmmm, there are many great places. Denver is a place where I think nature, city, and sunshine meet. My favorite place is probably Botanic Gardens, it’s very relaxing and the gardens are beautiful. Then I would take the friend to 12th and Madison Street to the floral gift shop ‘Wild Flower’ and have ice cream at ‘Sweet Cooies’ or tea and crepes ‘Crepes n Crepes.’ I then would take them to walk about Cherry Creek North or Cherry Creek. 

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Definitely. So many artists, mentors, teachers, and people have contributed to my development and have taken the time to teach me. I am grateful for the artists from many traditions I’ve gotten to study from. I would like to thank my mother, brother, and father who have encouraged me through the hills and valleys of the journey. I find a lot of inspiration from my late father who was a spiritual and kind international jazz musician and professor. He had a deep love for all genres of music and was a genius composer and his open-minded spiritual creativity inspired me. I am grateful to my family for encouraging me through my path.

Website: justicemiles.wixsite.com/choreo

Instagram: @justice.miles

Image Credits

Photo Credits: Amanda Tipton

Pink dress photo credit: Nir Arieli