Jonathan Ward Edmondson, a multi-talented individual, was born in Eastern North Carolina and embarked on a journey of self-discovery at the tender age of nine, when he began taking tap, jazz, and ballet classes.
His innate curiosity and enthusiasm led him to explore various extracurricular activities, including scouting, swim team, little league baseball, and choir. This diverse range of interests eventually culminated in voice coaching and musicals during his high school years and beyond.
Ward's remarkable energy and athleticism earned him medals as a swimmer and allowed him to excel in dance. He went on to share his passion for dance with others by teaching ballroom and country-western dance to middle-grade students and adults.
As a performer, Ward appeared on local TV stations and toured with his dance troupe, winning numerous awards and competitions along the East Coast. His boundless energy and dedication to the arts were undeniable.
Ward's academic pursuits led him to Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Virginia, where he majored in dance. During his time there, he choreographed and danced feature and lead roles with the Bristol Ballet Company under the direction of Constance Harding. He also honed his skills in acting, voice, and other aspects of theater, including historical costuming, set design and construction, and sound and lighting.
After relocating back to North Carolina, Ward earned a Bachelor of Science degree from East Carolina University in 1994 and began a career in laboratory science. However, his passion for the arts remained unwavering, and he continued to teach dance at Bobbi Collins Dance/Arts Studio.
Ward choreographed and performed in numerous events and was a charter member of the Bobbi Collins Dance Company. He traveled to teach aerobics, ballroom, and country-western dance at Dance Conventions, such as Danny Hoctor's Dance Caravan, and accumulated many trophies from Dance Competitions in New York, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia.
In 2000, Ward spent the summer studying massage therapy at Southeastern School of Massage and Neuromuscular Therapy in Charlotte, North Carolina. He then moved to Philadelphia and began working at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, practicing massage therapy at night. Ward continued to take acting classes, attend workshops for film, and danced and performed supernumerary/light walker work for the Opera Company of Philadelphia until he relocated to Hollywood in 2007 to further pursue his dreams.
