Jessica Edgley

Jessica Edgley, PDTD RAD RTS ARAD

Ms Jessica Edgley danced professionally for over a decade with English National Ballet, National Ballet of Ireland and the Norwegian National Ballet, before becoming Ballet Mistress for New English Ballet Theatre, and a teacher at the Royal Academy of Dance headquarters in London, England.

Ms Edgley was born in British Columbia, and started dancing from a young age under the direction of Gwen Grant. She began her full time vocational training at the Vancouver Goh Ballet Academy, and by the age of sixteen received the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Solo Seal Award.

Ms Edgley was awarded both the British Columbia Arts Council Senior Scholarship and Vancouver Ballet Society Senior Scholarship.  She went on to earn a prestigious scholarship at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School (Seattle), where she also danced with the Pacific Northwest Ballet Company before embarking on an international career.

In her 12 years as a professional dancer, Ms Edgley danced leading, soloist roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy (Nutcracker), Aurora, Lilac Fairy (Sleeping Beauty), Polyhymnia (Apollo), and Waltz couple (Serenade).  She performed in all of the companies’ repertoire at English National Ballet, National Ballet of Ireland and the Norwegian National Ballet, where she also choreographed for their Ballet Lab.  During this time, Ms Edgley worked with many leading figures in the ballet world, performing extensively in the UK, and across Europe, Australia and Asia.

Jessica Edgley as Polyhymnia in Apollo

Jessica Edgley as Arabian in Nutcracker

Ms Edgley went on to receive her Professional Dancer Teachers Diploma from the Royal Academy of Dance in 2009.  In 2010, she was invited to tutor for the Royal Academy’s BA (Hons) Ballet Education Degree programme in London, UK.  In 2016, she joined the faculty of the Dance School at the Royal Academy of Dance headquarters in London.  In her time at the Royal Academy, she also taught and coached their intensive vocational courses, exam syllabus, workshops and summer schools.

From 2012 to 2018, Ms Edgley was Ballet Mistress and a choreographer for the New English Ballet Theatre (NEBT) in London, UK. As Ballet Mistress for NEBT, she worked closely with a variety of choreographers such as Wayne Eagling, Michael Corder, Ernst Meisner, Kirsty McNally, Andrew McNicol, Daniela Cardim, Jenna Lee, and Valentino Zucchetti, amongst others.

Ms Edgley has coached award-winning students for international competitions. Junior Grand Prix award winner at Youth America Grand Prix, Toronto 2021, medals winners from Tanzolmp Berlin, Ballet Beyond Borders, Global Dance Challenge and Surrey Festival of Dance.

Ms Edgley has also taught at the North London Ballet Academy, Central School of Ballet and London Studio Centre, and appeared as a guest teacher for workshops, summer schools in Switzerland, Greece, UK and Canada.

Fraser Valley Academy of Dance is thrilled to be welcoming Ms. Edgley to our staff from August 2025!