Claire Gendler
Vocalist
Musician
Stilt Dancer
Teacher
Claire Gendler, the director of the Vocal Arts branch of D.A.M, is a talented vocalist, performer, instructor, and musician from San Jose, California. Her first instrument was the trombone, which she played from fifth grade through her undergraduate education at University of California, Santa Cruz. It was there that she discovered her love for singing and went on to earn her Bachelor of Music in Operatic Vocal Performance in 2008. She was later awarded a scholarship to California Institute of the Arts where she earned her Master of Fine Arts in Vocal Performance in 2020.
While in Santa Cruz, Claire connected with the stilt walking community and fell in love with the art form. She has been performing with Samba Stilt Circus since 2003 and from 2016-2019 she traveled with Polly Pepper to Trinidad and Tobago to perform with the traditional Moko Jumbie Stilt Walkers in Carnaval. She enjoys the challenge of teaching stilts with the DAM StiltSkool and expanding her vocal offerings in collaboration with other performers.
She is available for hire as an individual performer or in collaboration with our movement artists. She is classically trained but can sing in almost any genre and provide your event or gathering with a beautifully staged performance, perhaps even on stilts. She can perform to a pre-recorded track, with live accompaniment, or collaborate with a musical group.
Claire G also teaches the internationally recognized early childhood music and movement program, Music Together, and offers private and group voice lessons.
For more information visit her website.
Featuring Claire Gender: Vocals, Polly Bates: Stilts, Nick Brently: Dance, Renzo Staiano: 8-string guitar, Rachel Machtinger: Cajon