James Manning

About the 2023 Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh grant: This $10,000 Aboveground Railroad grant supports education in pursuit of a career in arts administration.

James (Washington) Manning is a native of Rochester, NY. He graduated from the Conservatory at Point Park University under the direction of Susan Stowe. James was a founding member of the August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble (Top 25 to Watch, Dance Magazine) and also performed with Owen/Cox Dance Group, Houston Met Dance Company and Ballet Inc. in New York City. James has been seen on the stages of Broadway Dance Lab, Jacob’s Pillow, New York City Center, TONY Award Winning – Paper Mill Playhouse, Pittsburgh CLO, and is a proud member of Actors Equity. James was the first male BRAZZY Award winner for his accomplishments in the field of dance alongside being named one of “Pittsburgh’s Most Influential People” by Tom Mosser and his “Really Big Faces” visual arts series. Choreography credits include: Slippery Rock University, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (Graduate Students), Houston Met Too Youth Company, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, Pittsburgh CLO, Lifetime Television, Netflix and Apple TV.

James is the co-creator of The Allen Washington Literacy Fund, promoting reading and literacy in early childhood education. Most recently, James was the dance department chair at Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts 6-12 (CAPA) and was awarded the summer Artistic Fellowship at Pittsburgh CLO working alongside Baayork Lee (West Side Story), Christopher Betts, Tislarm Bouie (The Color Purple), Sara Edwards and Mara Greer (The Music Man). James is currently pursuing his Arts Administration graduate degree at Goucher College and is on the artistic team as the artistic administrator at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.