ABOUT THE COMPANY

Jacob Jonas The Company is a 501c3 nonprofit creative organization that intersects dance across disciplines through nontraditional collaborations and community building.

JJTC consists of disrupters, choreographers, makers, creative thinkers, cultural researchers, educators, futurists, activists, and producers. Our work engages diverse and untapped populations, increasing the visibility of dance as an art form in Los Angeles and globally through live performance and media landscapes. JJTC collaborates worldwide with practitioners, institutions, scientists, corporations, and technologists to support ambition and invention across artistic fields. 

The company communicates new ideas and perspectives on health through somatic movement - in performance settings, educational offerings and through our designed movement language called The System. JJTC facilitates community events, educational classes and workshops in order to further deepen our relationships and intellectual exchanges. 

Our Mission
Jacob Jonas The Company advances human narratives through the creation and presentation of exceptional dance. Together with our community of diverse collaborators, we create socially relevant works and strive to make dance a more visible and valued art form.

@jacobjonasthecompany

ABOUT JACOB JONAS

Jacob Jonas (American, b. 1992)

Raised by concrete and the Pacific Ocean. A product of divorce. An outlier in academia, displaced and repositioned into special education. Forced away from the traditional path. Movement became identity. A company, a family—for belonging. A blank canvas, home. Overcoming illness, understanding health. The work is medicine. Nature, a necessity.

A disruptor by nature, Jonas has collaborated with a spectrum of visionary artists and brands, from Kanye West to Elton John, Rosalía, SZA, SIA, Vanessa Beecroft, and Alejandro Iñárritu. His projects include the globally acclaimed films.dance, a series of over 40 short films uniting artists from 25 countries, and #CamerasandDancers, a monthly Instameet bridging dance, photography, and architecture with institutions like The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Zaha Hadid Architects.

Born in Santa Monica, Jacob Jonas began his journey as a street performer, skateboarding along the Venice Beach Boardwalk. At 13, he joined The Calypso Tumblers, legends of acrobatics and street theater, under the directorship of Raymond Bartlett from Saint Kitts. Touring internationally to busker festivals, Jonas absorbed the discipline of the streets and the art of performance.

At 21, Jonas co-founded Jacob Jonas The Company with partner Jill Wilson and lighting designer Will Adashek, a nonprofit rooted in the intersection of dance, science, and community. By 24, he became the youngest artist to present work at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. His career has since traversed institutions and landmarks, including Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Hollywood Bowl, The Getty Museum, The Music Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and more.

Jonas’s work challenges boundaries, living at the confluence of somatic innovation, architecture, and environmental consciousness. His technique, The System, is a fusion of movement, therapy, and creation, designed as a pathway for healing and expression. As a stage four cancer survivor, Jonas draws on personal resilience to explore the body as both a site of conflict and renewal.

Jacob Jonas’s art exists in dualities—rooted in rebellion and disruption, yet celebrated in the canon of contemporary culture. His work is raw yet refined, intimate yet universal, a testament to the transformative power of movement, nature, and collaboration.

ABOUT THE PERFORMING ARTISTS

James Blackston JStylz was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. JStylz is one of the originators of the freestyle movement known as Krump, and began his career in 2003 traveling across the world sharing Krump in Paris, Japan, China, New Zealand, Germany, and London. Jstylz has worked with many A-List artists, and has starred in many TV shows, movies, and award shows. Jstylz is motivated to enhance the world with his God gifted talents being true to his authentic self. (@james__blackston)

Alexa Donnelly is originally from Detroit, Michigan, has trained in all genres of dance since the age of 5. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Oakland University School of Music, Theatre and Dance. While at OU, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Berlin, Germany, as well as receiving many choreography awards. She has danced with many professional companies such as DIAVOLO LA, Take Root Dance, and this will be her second season with Jacob Jonas the Company. (@alexadonnelly)

Paulina Donnelly is from Detroit Michigan, began dancing at the age of 5. She graduated from Oakland University School of Music, Theatre and Dance, where she received her BFA. Paulina has performed nationally and internationally with professional companies including Jacob Jonas The Company and DIAVOLO Architecture in Motion. This is her second season with JJTC. As well as performing, Paulina enjoys teaching and choreographing with her identical twin sister, Alexa. (@paulinadonnelly)

Dahsir Hausif a Brooklyn native, began his journey in movement through capoeira and drumming, which sparked his passion for dance. He trained at The Ailey School from ages 6 to 18, where he was deeply influenced by Horton, Limón, jazz, and ballet. He continued his training at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, expanding his repertoire to include Graham, contact improvisation, Dova technique, floor work, and contemporary dance. Dahsir’s artistic development was shaped by organizations such as MOVE|NYC|, Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, and Brooklyn High School of the Arts, where he received invaluable mentorship. He has performed works by Bill T. Jones, Martha Graham, Clifton Brown, and Earl Mosley and has collaborated with artists such as Manuel Vignoulle, Keerati Jinakunwiphat, and Christopher Huggins. Influenced by both classical training and social dance, Dahsir blends diverse movement styles, further enriched by his practice in capoeira and Kuntaw. He began getting to the know Jacob Jonas The Company after attending their intensive at Orsolina28. This is his first Season with the company. (@Dahsirr)

Katri Käpynen is a Finnish dance artist. She studied dance at the Helsinki Theatre Academy’s Bachelor in Dance performance program and at the Amsterdam Academy of Theatre and dance Expanded Contemporary Dance program. Before transitioning to dance, Katri trained in rhythmic gymnastics, which laid a great base for dance. She has since developed her artistry by immersing herself in various styles, from contemporary, acrobatics to street styles and experimental movement practices. She has traveled internationally to train with renowned teachers, continuously deepening her understanding of dance, movement, technique, and performing.  Throughout her career, Katri has collaborated on a wide range of projects in Finland, including the National Opera and dancing with artists in concerts. In the summer of 2024, she met Jacob Jonas in a workshop and is now dancing with his company for the first time. (@katrisofiaaa)

Baptista Kawa is originally from Democratic Republic of Congo. He’s a Self taught Versatile Dancer Trained in Breaking,Acrobatics and other different dance styles, Credits include:  Performances with 50 Cent, Hip Hop Nutcracker Tour The Lion King at The Hollywood Bowl, FIFA World Cup Reveal, and an editorial video for Vogue with Lil Nas X and Hailey Bieber. Music videos for Sia,DamianoDavid,Feid and Arman Hovhannisyan. Commercials for Purple Mattress,jSamsung and XFinity in collaboration with Bboy Victor. He’s been dancing with Jacob Jonas The Company since 2022. (@baptistakawa)

Marco Palomino is an international choreographer, dancer, and director, recently nominated for the Princess Grace Award. Originally from Cuba, he has dedicated over 20 years to dance and earned his BFA from the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana. He is currently in his second season with Jacob Jonas The Company. Marco has performed and created works for dance companies, museums, films, immersive experiences, brands, and live theater. His work has been showcased at prestigious venues, including Sadler’s Wells in London, Admiralspalast in Berlin, and Chaillot in Paris. He has worked with renowned companies and choreographers, including Jacob Jonas, Juliano Nuñes, Pontus Lidberg, Micaela Taylor, Goyo Montero, Osnel Delgado, Carlos Acosta’s Acostadanza, as well as partnering with Birmingham Royal Ballet. His movement style draws from contemporary dance, ballet, floor work, Cuban styles, and African folklore. Marco has developed his own dance genre, Raw Emotions. (@marcopalomino)

Claire Schick was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was a competitive gymnast until the age of 13, when she began taking contemporary and ballet classes at Alonzo King Lines Ballet. Athleticism has always been a major aspect of her movement identity. She has experience in gymnastics, capoeira, and movement theater. Schick graduated from the University of Michigan with her BFA in dance and BA in Psychology with a minor in English. Shannon Gillen and Jason Cianciulli of Vim Vigor Dance Company mentored and shaped Schick’s artistic perspective during her time at University. Claire performed twice with Vim Vigor Dance Company, most recently in a work titled Dracula in November of 2024. She has also performed pieces by Laja Field and Sam Coren at B-12 Research in Berlin, as well as Rosanna Tavarez at the University of Michigan. Claire attended an open company class with Jacob Jonas The Company in April 2024, and went on to participate in the summer intensive in Los Angeles. Claire’s background as an athlete and an artist is highly influential to her movement practice. She draws inspiration from the storytellers within her life, and the incredible movers around her to seek artistry beyond physicality. This is her first season with Jacob Jonas The Company. (@claire.schick)

Emma Rosenzweig-Bock is a producer, art director, and performing artist with Jacob Jonas The Company. Originally from Santa Monica, California, she began her dance training at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy at age 11 before attending the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance, as well as a minor in Holocaust Studies at Chapman University. Emma was the assistant choreographer for productions including Rosalía’s Motomami World Tour, Elyanna’s Woledo World Tour, and SZA’s World Tour. As a performer, she has appeared in music videos for Sia, as well as campaigns for Gap, Athleta, and Jonathan Simkhai. She has performed at venues such as Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and has made over 20 original stage works with the company. Emma is a producer of Films.Dance. She also contributes to the art direction and creative development of JJTC, helping to shape its visual identity across live productions, film, and digital content. Emma has been a performing artist with Jacob Jonas The Company since 2017. (@emmaarielle)

Vo Vera was born in Philadelphia, PA, and raised in Sedona, AZ. His dance career began in 2001 as a bboy/breaker on the streets of Arizona  and Germany. Training brought him into the spheres of classical dance, contemporary, hand balance, and yoga. Identifying as an experimental street dancer, Vo Vera thrives on developing novel movement techniques and systems. Vo Vera has a Master of Fine Arts in Dance, and he teaches at colleges in both Arizona and California. He has danced with Jacob Jonas The Company since 2019. (@vospacevera)

Jill Wilson is the Executive Producer and a Performing Artist with with Jacob Jonas The Company. Originally from Los Angeles she began dancing at a young age and then earned a BFA in Dance Performance from the University of the Arts under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. Her credits include campaigns for Apple, Gap, Athleta, and Jonathan Simkhai, as well as music videos for Elton John & Britney Spears, Sia & David Guetta. She has performed at venues such as Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and was featured in The Getty Museum’s #GettyInspired campaign with work displayed on billboards across Los Angeles. As a producer, she has supported building a sustainable foundation for the Jacob Jonas The Company, enabling the company to continue pushing the boundaries of performance and community impact. Her credits include To the Sea: Dance Concerts on the Pier, Films.Dance (a global series of 40+ short films), and projects at the Ford Theatres, Lincoln Center, and the Hollywood Bowl, Patrick Watson’s Can’t Stop Staring At the Sun music video, and Naked Cashmere’s spring campaign. (@_jillwilson_)

Jarrett Yeary was born and raised in South East Michigan, and began dance training at 5 years old. Has performed with Dua Lipa at the Grammys, appeared in Sia and David Guettas “beautiful people” music video, and Damiano David’s music video “born with a broken heart”. Dance has always been my way of saying what my words are unable to convey, and understanding my internal landscape through physicality and storytelling. I have danced with JJTC since 2024. (@jarrettyeary)

ABOUT THE COLLABORATORS

William Adashek (Production Manager)
William Adashek is a lighting designer, cinematographer, and producer based in Los Angeles, working at the intersection of technology and dramatic storytelling. He has designed the lighting for hundreds of dance and theater productions around the world. Will is also an active film production executive, with recent feature film premieres at every major film festival worldwide. His most recent film Buster’s Mal Heart, starring Rami Malek, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2016. Will is a graduate of Kenyon College and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in cinematography from the American Film Institute.

Nathan Birnbaum (Poet in Residence)
Musician, poet, playwright, actor, producer, and sound designer, Nathan has more than 100 credits in Los Angeles, New York, and around the U.S. Starting at age 13, Nathan has produced a wide range of events and shows, including theater, music, gallery exhibitions, dance, and multidisciplinary projects. His plays have been workshopped and produced in NY and L.A. He was one of the first sound designers in the American theater, helping to develop the form when it was new, and served as music director and composer in major theaters on both coasts. He directed a visual arts residency/arts education center, which doubled in size under his leadership, and has two decades’ experience in arts philanthropy. Education includes Stanford University (A.B.), UC San Diego (M.M), and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London). Nathan is an awardee of the James Irvine Foundation Fund for Leadership Advancement, the L.A. County Arts Leadership Initiative, and National Arts Strategies’ Fellowship for the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders, Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Tessa Matthais (Costume)
Tessa Matthias grew up in Los Angeles and starting making clothes when she was seven years old. As a first generation American, she is the daughter of an Australian mother, and German father. In 2005, Tessa moved to New York City to attend Parsons School of Design. In 2012, Tessa was hired at Theory to launch the activewear division, Theory+. She left her position as Senior Designer in 2015 and began the process of creating her brand. TESSA Inc. was founded in New York City in 2016. Tessa is a long time collaborator of Jacob Jonas The Company. (@tessamatthias)

Imogen Heap (Composer)
Imogen Heap is a Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer known for her innovative, genre-blending sound. She began composing at 13, signed her first record deal at 18, and later formed the electronica duo Frou Frou, whose song Let Go gained cult status in Garden State. Her 2005 solo album, Speak for Yourself, featuring Hide & Seek, catapulted her to mainstream success, with placements in The O.C., films, and TV. A pioneer in digital music and fan engagement, Imogen used MySpace, YouTube, and Twitter to redefine artist-audience relationships. Her 2009 album Ellipse showcased her signature mix of organic electronica and lush harmonies, recorded in a self-built home studio. Known for mesmerizing live performances and boundary-pushing production, she has collaborated with artists like Jeff Beck and Brian Eno. With an eccentric style and limitless creativity, Heap continues to innovate, crafting ethereal, emotionally rich soundscapes that transcend time and genre. (@imogenheap)