Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Jonas.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jacob. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born in Santa Monica and raised as an athlete. I was first inspired to dance at the age of 13 when I skated down to Venice Beach and saw the Calypso Tumblers, a street performing group, on the boardwalk. From there I began training in other dance styles and developing my own choreographic work. In 2014, I started Jacob Jonas The Company – an LA-based dance company creating work for the stage and the camera. JJTC has toured across the nation to stops including The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York City, Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe, Ford Theater presented by The Music Center and is now the 2018/2019 Company in Residence at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. My company has also choreographed and danced for branded campaigns including James Perse, Sony, Acura, Spotify, and Nike.
In addition to the work I create for my company, I am an activist for dance. I initiated #CamerasandDancers -a monthly and location-specific Instameet combing the art forms of dance and photography through partnerships with significant cultural institutions, dance companies, and social media influencers. Partners to date have included The Metropolitan Museum, J. Paul Getty Museum, Seattle Public Library, The Royal Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, New York City Ballet and the top influencers on Instagram. I also curate and produce To the Sea: Dance Concerts on Pier a free dance festival on the Santa Monica Pier featuring national and local companies such as Pilobolus, 7 Fingers and Vincent Paterson.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has been a smooth road in terms of identifying my goals, both short and long-term, creating a strategy and building a team to fulfill those goals. The struggles along the way have been to reimagine the art form of dance to adapt with today’s way of communication through social platforms connecting with audiences of all ages. Also, convincing donors, government agencies, and society at large the value of the arts -not just in the work that my organization is creating but the many non-profit organizations that are committing their time and mission to inspiring the world to see and feel the humanity and innovation that the arts has to offer and inspire our youth.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Jacob Jonas The Company – what should we know?
Jacob Jonas The Company is a dance company that creates work for live performance, film and photography. We intersect dance with performance, science, media, architecture, fashion, and advertising to broaden the traditional viewership of the medium and bring more dance into our community. It is important to me to increase the visibility of the art form. I’m most proud of the community of collaborators we have built across a range of disciplines.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
In terms of mentors, I would like to acknowledge: Raymond Bartlett- founder of Calypso Tumblers whom I street performed under his leadership for many years of my youth, Roni Blak- founder and Artistic Director of MnR Dance Factory who offered me a scholarship at 16 years old to her studio to lean competitive dance and introduction to choreographic thinking, Vincent “Mr. Animation” Foster- a legendary street dancer that specialized in popping who took me under his wing and gave me a foundation and application for his movement, Jacques Heim- founder of Diavolo who has helped advise me throughout running my organization, and last Donald Byrd- Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater who has been a choreographic mentor and advisor that has helped me further my understanding for my creative potential and composition.
In addition to my mentors, I would like to acknowledge the founding members of Jacob Jonas The Company- Marissa Labog, Anibal Sandoval, Lamonte Goode, Renee Stewart, Jill Wilson, and Mike Tyus who at the birth of the company invested their experienced time and belief in my vision while I was developing my process and work. Their patience and commitment are a large reason for our success.
Last, I would like to acknowledge Jill Wilson and Will Adashek, cofounders of Jacob Jonas The Company who have been hustling with me since day one to see the potential of our company met at its fullest.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jacobjonas.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacobjonasthecompany
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacobjonasthecompany
Image Credit:
Matthew Brush, Oveck Reyes, Minh Tran, Brad Romano, Jacob Jonas, Jacob Jonas, Jacob Jonas, Jessica Zollman
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