Tom & Third Rail

Tom Pearson’s artistic life in New York City began in the dance world of the early-1990s at the Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham schools. Throughout the decade, he studied writing, performance theory, and choreography, eventually earning in a degree in Performance Studies from New York University. While performing professionally for other companies, Pearson also began showing his own choreography in at venues like the Theater of the Riverside Church and Broadway’s Bridge for Dance.

A pivotal moment arrived in the summer of 2001 when he presented his first work under the banner of Third Rail Dance at the New York International Fringe Festival. Later that year, he formally co-founded the company alongside Brian Weaver and Jennine Willett. Reconfigured in 2007 as Third Rail Projects with co-directors Zach Morris and Jennine Willett, the collective has since redefined the medium, becoming a global leader in site-specific, immersive, and experiential performance.