About Justin Rayna

 

Justin Rayna, the author and composer of Legend City, began his theater career in high-school, debuting as a Senator in Damn Yankees, followed by Blood Brothers where he was the principal drummer and percussionist. Along with music in high school, Justin trained both as a power tumbler and a dancer. His dance experience includes 10 years at Encore Dance Center in PA where he danced ballet, tap, jazz and various other styles. When he graduated in 2000, he became the creative director and head coach of New Line Revue’s exhibition tumbling team until 2007, all the while performing as part of the acrobatic dance duo Lithe & Limber and teaching back at Encore as an acrobatic hip-hop instructor. Justin then landed several roles as an acrobat and tumbler at Hershey Park, PA and Dollywood, TN between 2007 and 2009, including the position of acrobatic captain, and percussion writer in Dolly Parton’s Sha-Kon-O-Hey.

           

Justin’s music career not only includes every imaginable ensemble in high school (marching band, concert band, orchestra, jazz band, percussion ensemble, indoor drum line), but also college ensembles and Drum Corps International where he was the 2001 drum captain of the Lehigh Valley Knights, and won the Garden State Circuit Championships individual performance solo on snare drum. In 2009, Justin studied music theory and composition at the University of Tennessee until 2012, and established himself as a niche composer in the world of gymnastics under the company name First Key Creations, also composing music for dance studios, church specials, student films, and other stage plays.