Biography
Jin Lee Hanley is a dance artist, educator, and performer, currently serving as an Associate Professor of Dance, Chair of the Department of Dance, and Director of the PBA Dance Ensemble at Palm Beach Atlantic University, where she has been teaching and serving since 2005.
Her dance journey began in Asan, South Korea, where she started classical ballet training at the age of 16 under Sunyoung Park. Despite starting her dance training later than most, she won her first national dance competition in high school and placed fourth at the National Korean College Competition. By the age of 21, she had launched a professional dance career.
Academically, Hanley earned a Bachelor of Science in Dance Education from Kongju National University in South Korea, along with a secondary education teaching license. She later moved to New York City, where she earned her Master’s degree in Dance and Dance Education from New York University (NYU) and received a scholarship to study at the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio. She is one of a select group of individuals worldwide authorized to teach Cunningham Technique®. She is also a certified second-generation Pilates Master, trained under Lolita San Miguel, mentoring and training other Pilates instructors.
As a performer, Hanley has danced with Park Sunyoung Ballet Company in South Korea as a principal dancer, and worked with renowned companies such as Hasadim Mission Ballet Company, Park Kyungsook Premiere Ballet, Columbia Ballet Theatre, and Chen and Dancers in NYC. She has collaborated with esteemed choreographers including Douglas Dunn, Randall Flinn, Sungyong Kim, and Jeanguy Saintus Riché. Her performances have taken her across the U.S., as well as abroad to South Korea, Paris and London.
As a choreographer, Hanley has created over 150 works, a number of which have been performed internationally. She has taught master classes for organizations and events such as the World Missions Conference in New York City, Women in the Window International, American College Dance Association, National Dance Education Organization, Korea National Contemporary Dance, Daegu City Dance Company, and Project Dance Paris.
Throughout her career, Hanley has been recognized as a leading modern dance artist and educator, known for her distinctive flowing movement quality and deep artistic spirit. While modern dance is at the heart of her work, her extensive background in ballet and other styles allows her to connect with students from diverse dance and cultural backgrounds. As Director of the PBA Dance Ensemble, she mentors students in performance, choreography, and leadership.
Her service to the dance world extends beyond the studio, as she has served as a board member of the Florida Dance Education Organization and Chair of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (FL). She is deeply committed to using dance as a platform for mentorship, leadership, and faith-filled artistry.
More than anything, Hanley loves the Lord Jesus Christ and worships through dance wherever she is called. She is a devoted mother to Joshua and Lydia and, alongside her husband Drew, worships at Life Church, West Palm Beach, FL.
Degrees
MA in Dance and Dance Education in Higher Education, New York University | BS in Dance Education, Kongju National University