Hudson’s Story
What she stands for
Hudson strives to utilize her passion for the performing arts as a means to connect with everyone she crosses paths with. Dance gave her the opportunity to tell her story in the face of change and new beginnings, and she hopes to inspire her peers and audiences to do the same—to find their voices and use them to instill change in the world around them.
"In this day and age, it is more important than ever to fight for what we believe in and empower others to trust themselves. Every person has their own unique perspective to bring to the table, and as both a performer and a creator, I find joy in bringing those points of view to life so people can see that their stories matter."
Hudson K. James Esch
About Hudson!
Hudson began dancing at 3-years-old and hasn’t looked back since. She trained seriously in ballet, jazz, and tap amongst other styles, taking up her education at Metropolitan School of the Arts in Alexandria, VA through high school. She became the first in MSA’s history to successfully audition into all three pre-professional companies (MYTE, MYB, and iMpulse).
Hudson is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Performing Arts in Dance Performance at Oklahoma City University, and she is due to graduate in May 2025. She is grateful to have served as a Super Line Captain and Line Captain for Star Dance Company and Rep Company, and she is eager to make the most of her senior year!
Life as a military kid
Hudson grew up an Army brat, her father retiring from the military as the Commander of the United States Army Band (TUSAB) in August 2022 following over 35 years of service. She was fortunate enough to be constantly surrounded by world-class music through all seven moves, and she found herself inspired to follow in her father’s footsteps starting as a toddler in Germany, especially after her parents enrolled her dance. She has had opportunities to perform on several military posts and participate in a show commemorating 9/11 in addition to performing in soldier-based pieces on myriad occasions. Most recently, Hudson acted as a Super Line Captain of Cassandra Van Houten’s “Soldiers”—which pays homage to America’s armed forces—for Star Dance Company’s Holiday Spectacular!, and she was beyond honored to step into her father’s shoes and lead rehearsals for a piece so near and dear to her heart.
How “Hudson tapper” came to be
Hudson fell in love with tap in elementary school, the wannabe percussionist in her drawn to the idea of creating music with her feet. She was so invested in her tap training that her parents made her iCloud “hudsontapper” when they got her her first phone in seventh grade, and they recommended she use that as her username on Instagram, too. She followed through with the idea, and the nickname stuck to the point of strangers recognizing her on the streets of New York City! Tap remains a key source of joy for Hudson, and she bears the nickname with pride wherever she goes.
The storyteller
Hudson has always been a passionate storyteller, expressing her ideas through spoken word, short stories, and music. Recently, however, she has ventured into choreography, and she is thriving in that setting—she not only loves creating in a collaborative space, but she imparts her joy upon her casts to then share on stage or film. She presented a piece entitled “Flurry Fantasy” for the Project 21 Fusion between the music composition majors and dance majors in April 2024, and she is thrilled to be participating in the Student Choreography Show process for October 2024.
