Tai Jimenez

TAI JIMENEZ is an educator, arts leader and performer. She is a former Principal dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem where her repertoire included the title roles in Giselle and Firebird as well as many classical, neo-classical, and contemporary ballets. She is also a former principal dancer with Boston Ballet. Ms. Jimenez made her Broadway debut as Ivy Smith (Miss Turnstiles) in the revival of On the Town, directed by George C. Wolfe. She originated the roles of Fran in Maria Irene Fornes’s Letters from Cuba and Ysabel in Debbie Allen’s Soul Possessed. She was a featured dancer at the Academy Awards, the Kennedy Center Honors, and in pop superstar Prince’s concert video “Rave Un2 the Year 2000.” She also performed as a guest artist with New York City Ballet, Lar Lubovitch, Complexions, Francesca Harper Project, Virginia Ballet Theater, Maryland Ballet Theater, and Lula Washington Dance Theatre. Ms. Jimenez has taught ballet at many institutions including Harvard University, University of Wyoming, the Dance Theatre of Harlem School, Boston Ballet School, Phillips Academy Andover, Boston Arts Academy, and was an Assistant Professor at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. In addition, she is also a certified yoga instructor.  

In 2023 she stepped into the role of Director of the Dance Theatre of Harlem School where she ensures students of all levels can develop the artist within and prepare for success both on and off the stage with world-class training in classical ballet and diverse dance disciplines. In 2024 Ms. Jimenez co-created the full-length story ballet, “Harlem Mouse/Country Mouse,” a re-telling of the Aesop fable “Town Mouse/Country Mouse.” Harlem Mouse celebrates the traditions of the black south and is an homage to iconic people and places in Harlem. Ms. Jimenez has published articles in Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine and continues to write. She has graced the cover of Dance Magazine and was profiled in Dance Teacher Magazine.

Photo by Cyrille Conan