About Me
A Love For the Arts
Jaelynn Ricks is a 9th grade student at New Orleans Center For Creative Arts (NOCCA). Her passion for performing was discovered at the age of 2. Since that time her love of the liberal and performing arts has expanded into musical theater where she express her passions in drama, dance and song. Jaelynn enjoys and has participates in a host of activities in school, church, and the community.
Jaelynn regularly performs with the Fierce on the Avenue Youth Choir at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and New Orleans Citywide Youth Choir, under the direction of Tonya Boyd Cannon. Jaelynn has been dancing since the age of two with Art In Motion Dance Academy under the direction of Leslie Smith Walker where she has learned different art dance forms such as Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Tap, and Lyrical.
In addition to singing and dancing, Jaelynn has performed with Uptown Music Theatre, under the direction of Delfeayo Marsalis, for 8 years. They have participated in the Junior Theatre Festival for 8 years and have won Outstanding Performance for 7 years and Outstanding Ensemble for 1 year. During this time Jaelynn was selected to participate in the iTheatrics/Junior Theatre Festival Disney DVD Choreography Production in New York.
Resume
Musical Theatre Performances
- Mary Poppins, Bert, Tulane Summer Lyrics
- Tortoise and Hare, Ensemble, Tulane Summer Lyrics
- Innervision Realized, Dancer, Jukebox Castle
- Someone Save My Baby Ruth, Dancer, Lusher Musical Theatre
- Aladdin, Jr., Genie, Uptown Music Theatre
- Annie, Jr., Annie, Uptown Music Theatre
- Harlem Renaissance, Ensemble, Uptown Music Theatre
- Broadway Babies, Ensemble, Uptown Music Theatre
- School House Rock, Jr., Ensemble, Uptown Music Theatre
Musical Theatre Competitions
- Schoolhouse Rock, Jr., Ensemble, Junior Theatre Festival
- Godspell, Jr., Ensemble, Junior Theatre Festival
- Fiddler on the Roof, Jr., Ensemble, Junior Theatre Festival
- Aladdin, Jr., Ensemble, Junior Theatre Festival
- James & the Giant Peach, Jr., Junior Theatre Festival
- Legally Blonde, Jr., Serina/KiKi, Junior Theatre Festival
- Once On This Island, Jr., Andrea, Junior Theatre Festival
Dance Training
- Ballet, Jazz, Tap, 12 Years, Art In Motion Dance Academy, Lusher Charter School, NOCCA
- Modern and Hip Hop, 6 Years, Art In Motion Dance Academy, Lusher Charter School
- Pointe, 3 Years, Art In Motion Dance Academy
- African Dance, 4 Months, Uptown Music Theatre
- Competition Team, 3 Years, Art In Motion Dance Academy
Vocal Performances
- National American Choral Directors Association, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT
- All State American Choral Directors Association, 2016, Baton Rouge, LA
- Southern Regional American Choral Directors Association, 2018, Louisville, KY
Performance Training
- Choral Music, Lusher Charter School
- Jazz Vocals, Jazz and Heritage School of Music
- Acting, Uptown Music Theatre, Lusher Charter School, NOCCA
- Piano, Lusher Charter School, Barbara Murray School of Music
Print Media Sites
Article in the New Orleans Times Picauyne where Jaelynn was able to perform with the Mardi Gras Indians:
http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2014/06/washitaw_mardi_gras_indians_6.html
Data News Weekly Article where Jaelynn was on the cover for her role as Annie in Uptown Music Theatre's production of Annie, Jr.:
https://54e402b4c6ac9178a466-c0d3f852bbdc3a5862574dd502f774cd.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/data140802.pdf
Girls Scout Cookie Hall of Fame Article:
http://blog.nola.com/new_orleans/2013/05/new_orleans_girl_scouts_named.html
Image has been used all over the web. It's part of a series by Photographer Gus Bennett, Jr.