
Five Questions for Jayme Klinger Host

What are you most excited about in this new chapter in your life?
The opportunities are so vast. I am most excited about the opportunity to collaborate with our incredibly talented faculty, students and the broader Charleston arts community. Above all, I’m excited to help shape the next generation of artists, thinkers and leaders in the arts world.
What do you think of the new facilities?
They’re beautiful, and it’s been so great to welcome the students and activate those spaces, see them in classes, in the rehearsal spaces, in the studios. It’s really quite exciting, particularly the three Simons Center performance spaces right next to each other. It’s akin to Charleston’s version of the Lincoln Center, serving as a premier cultural hub for the arts in the region.
How did you become interested in the arts?
My parents exposed my sister and me to the arts from a very young age, fostering a love for creativity that has stayed with me throughout my life. I’ve been moving – quite literally – since I was little, and I found a home in dance at the age of 6. Dance gave me a sense of belonging and expression, and it quickly became a foundation for my passion for the arts. Growing up, I took voice, piano and clarinet lessons and played the oboe for eight years.
What are some of your highlights as a performer?
In high school I performed as an oboist with our symphonic band, culminating in a final performance at Carnegie Hall. As a dancer, I had the privilege of performing internationally with Tandy Beal Dance Company in Tokyo, with the Pennsylvania Dance Theatre in State College, Pa., and as an independent artist. I’ve created over 50 original works. One of my choreographic works was even performed at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. In terms of teaching, I have been in residence at Riverside International School in Prague, Czech Republic; taught master classes with Artists for Africa in Nairobi, Kenya; and at the Young Theatre Festival in Bale, Croatia.
How did you get into education?
I was profoundly influenced by a luminary mentor at Goucher College, Chrystelle Bond, whose guidance inspired me to embrace teaching as a way to empower others. And coming from a family of educators, my parents instilled in me a deep respect for learning and the transformative power of knowledge, which taught me that education isn’t just about acquiring skills; it’s about fostering curiosity, encouraging creativity and building connections that help us understand and improve the world around us.