Joan Bradford (she/her/hers) is a dancer, choreographer, arts administrator, teaching artist, and facilitator proudly born, raised, and still residing in The Bronx, NY, ancestral, stolen, Siwanoy Lenapehoking land. Joan holds her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a minor in Theatre from Long Island University, where she graduated magna cum laude with the Faculty's Award for Choreographic Achievement. Joan is currently a fully funded MFA in Dance student at Hunter College.

As a dancer, Joan has collaborated with Sydnie L. Mosley Dances, Alexandra Beller, Alethea Pace, Rivers Edge Theatre Company, MizantyMoves Dance Works, liryan movement, kamrDANCE, JoAnna Mendl Shaw/The Equus Projects Think Tank, Praevado Dance Collective, Haven Movement Company, and Mise en Danse at venues including Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, Chelsea Factory, Ailey Citigroup Theater, Gibney Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center, Dixon Place, Triskelion Arts, Green Space, Brookfield Place, Brooklyn Studios for Dance, The Old First Reformed Church, Barnard College, Dance Place, Hi-Arts, Governors Island, Bethany Arts Community, Middlebury College and Harlem Stage E-Moves and in residences through the Iron Factory, Wilson College, Temple University, EarthDance, Double Edge Theater, Penn State University, Middlebury College, NCCAkron (The National Center for Choreography at The University of Akron), Dance Place, Gibney Dance Center, and Lincoln Center. Joan was a dancer and rehearsal director with Sydnie L. Molsey Dances and during her tenure, performed, rehearsal directed, and production managed The Bessie nominated PURPLE: A Ritual in Nine Spells at Lincoln Center. Joan performed in Fundamental Theater Project’s Sir Peter Shaffer Broadway memorial film at the Todd Haimes Theatre and The Anatomy of Choice digital course, both choreographed by Alexandra Beller. Currently, Joan is a Wildlife Theater performer and dance captain with The Wildlife Conservation Society at The Bronx Zoo, performing in a Fred Rogers and RWS production.

As a choreographer, Joan has shared her work at Socrates Sculpture Park, Hunter College's Kaye Playhouse, Brooklyn School of Music, Triskelion Arts, The Old First Reformed Church, Atlas Studios, The Ritz Theater, Arts on Site, Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture, The Tilles Center, BAAD! (Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance), Symphony Space, The United Palace Theater, Pregones/PRTT (Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater), Speyer Hall, and the Knockdown Center. Joan represented her alma mater at the American College Dance Festival Association and was awarded the Long Island University’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Choreography. Joan has been in residence with Lost Dog Dance Theatre in Lewes, England and with the Dancing Futures Artist & Mentor Collaborative Residency presented through Pepatián & BAAD! under the mentorship of Alexandra Beller & Sydnie L. Mosley. With an emphasis on continuing to make work in The Bronx, Joan was a mentee through the Dance Your Bronx UP! Development and has presented work twice through Bronx APAP, with Bronx Artist Spotlight on Dance and Bronx Dance: Pivot to Thrive presented by Pepatián, BAAD!, Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture, and BronxNet. Joan was a recipient of a City Artist Corps Grant and produced Improv on the Parkway, a free dance and music improvisation performance series on Pelham Parkway in The Bronx. Joan was a Fellow with The Performance Project at University Settlement, a Bronx Dance Fund grantee, and a recipient of the Bronx Cultural Visions Fund (BCVF).

As a teaching artist, Joan has worked with Fancy Feet Performing Arts Day Camp, The Bronx House, River’s Edge Theatre Company, Rock the City Dance Convention, Villa Maria Academy’s Musical Theater Program, KJK Musical Theatre Productions and the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services Arts & Literacy Program, teaching and choreographing in genres of creative movement, modern, contemporary, tap, choreography/composition, theatre, and musical theatre for ages 3 and up. Joan was a teaching artist, assistant site director, and founding Arts & Literacy Dance Company director with the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services Arts & Literacy Program. On the collegiate level, Joan has guest-taught at Wilson College, The University of Akron, Montclair State University, and Middlebury College and was a rehearsal director with Sydnie L. Mosley Dances, leading weekly company class. Additionally, Joan is a dance adjudicator and head judge with True Talent. In working with the older adult and 65 + communities, Joan has taught at Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center, Emblem Health, The Bronx House Weinberg Neighborhood Senior Center, Penn State Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and was a Bronx Council on the Arts SU-CASA artist in residence with Bronx Works. Joan works with The Bronx House Weinberg Neighborhood Senior’s Bronx House Dancing Divas, who were 2025 Talent is Timeless Bronx division winners and advanced to compete at The United Palace Theater in the Talent is Timeless Finals amongst senior citizens throughout the five boroughs. Currently, Joan is a Bronx Council on the Arts’ artist in residence at Urban Health Plan’s Center for Healthy Aging and, with a Bronx Council on the Arts Community Engagement Grant, is working with the Bronx House Dancing Divas to take the boroughwide win this fall and tour their performance pieces to other Bronx senior centers.