Born in Altadena, California, raised in the Pittsfield, MA, the heart of the Berkshires.
1988-1992 Studied Psychology (B.A.) and Theater at the University of Vermont, Burlington, VT.  In 1998 started the M.F.A. in Choreography at University of California Los Angeles' World Arts and Cultures program.  Membership in SAG/AFTRA, AE, and AGVA.



C. Derrick Jones is a choreographer, dancer, actor, aerialist, producer, technical director, and rigger who has been active in Los Angeles for 20 years.  His inspiration as a theatrical performer and improviser comes from his family of artists and civil rights activists.  Known for his improvisational wizardry,  he was a creator in Tohu Bohu (’94-’97), the Rachel Rosenthal Company’s name for their purely improvised evening length performance named by Rachel after her Instant Theater work in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s.
  
As a member of RR Co., he also collaborated to write, direct, and choreograph four evening length productions.  Derrick went on to perform with the Off-Broadway hit,De La Guarda in Las Vegas, and then toured with Los Angeles' daredevil dance theater company, DIAVOLO,for 4 years.  He had performed the featured role of Adam, with Airealistic at the Crystal Cathedral’s aerial spectacle, “Creation”.  He was a member of an aerial team brought together by choreographer Daniel Ezralow to flesh out idea's for Julie Taymore's Spiderman Broadway Musical.



Derrick performed in Kim Epifano’s “Fears Of Your Life” at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center For The Arts, with collaborating artist, AXIS Dance Company.  In another collaboration with Epifano, Derrick found himself performing a full length duet with the "Princess of Ballet" Hou Honglan.  "Speaking Chinese" (2008) which was also performed at Yerba Buena.



He flew hundreds of feet in the air with Project Bandaloop’s  presentation at Bok Tower.  He’s toured the U.K and Taipei with a work by Jess Curtis (SF/Berlin) and Blue Eyed Soul (U.K.), a mixed ability  aerial dance company based in the U.K.

Past teaching engagements (master classes and residencies) have included the UCLA Summer Dance-Theater Intensive, Cal State Los Angeles, University of Akron, Tel-Aviv’s Bikurei-Haitim, workshops at Greenwich Academy, (CT), St. Johnsbury Academy (VT), and at Writer’s Block  (New London, CT), an ensemble of youth using writing and performance as tools to address personal and social challenges on the community stage. 

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Derrick holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Vermont.  He had maintained his interest in psychology by serving as a Children’s Social Worker for LA County Dept. of Children and Family Services 1998-2000.  For the two years there, he also trained foster teens in his style of experimental theater and movement.  His Theater Jazz program for at-risk youth created three original works in collaboration with 13-19 year olds.   
He is known there as Chauncey (hint hint).

Derrick also serves as the Technical Director of CMB and has served as Touring Stage Manager, Rigging Assistant for Diavolo Dance Theater’s international tours to Santiago, Chile, Mexico City, Mexico, and Seoul, Korea.