JANINE BECKLES

Janine N. Beckles, a native of New York City, began her dance training at the age of six at the prestigious Dance Theatre of Harlem, where she studied for eight years on a fellowship scholarship. She continued her education at LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts and the Ailey School, performing iconic works such as Memoria, Hymn, and Revelations, all on full scholarship. Janine holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Southern Methodist University, where she was recognized with a National Foundation for the Arts award in Modern Dance.

Janine’s professional career includes five years with Dallas Black Dance Theatre, where she developed and led an outreach program for at-risk teen girls in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of South Dallas. This initiative provided ballet training, performance opportunities, mentorship, and life skills development. She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

In addition to her dance career, Janine has worked in commercials and appeared as a featured dancer alongside Beyoncé at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards. She was represented by the BLOC Agency in New York from 2016 to 2018 and was selected as a Visiting Teaching Fellow for the School of American Ballet for the 2018-2019 academic year.

Currently in her 15th season with Philadanco, Janine serves as a lead dancer, company Graham technique instructor, and was promoted to Associate Artistic Director in 2022. Her leadership in the field of dance has earned her recognition, including a feature in the February 2023 issue of Dance Magazine, highlighting her role as a new Black leader in dance. She was also named a National Urban League Emerging Leader Fellow in 2021 and is a 2024 Fellow of the Council of Urban Professionals.

Janine holds an MBA with a concentration in Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University, which she completed in June 2023. She continues to share her expertise as an adjunct professor at Rowan University and a lecturer at Rutgers University, while also serving as a master teacher representing Philadanco across the U.S. and at various universities on tour. She is also a Board member of the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers Association.