Jacob Jonas is a choreographer and director. He was introduced to the art of dance at thirteen by the Calypso Tumblers, a street-performing group on the Venice Beach boardwalk and went on to perform with them around the world. After receiving several awards for his independent work including RAW Performing Artist of the Year (2012) and Capezio ACE Award (2013), Jacob was mentored by Donald Byrd, a Bessie award winner and Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater in Seattle, WA. Jacob’s works have been performed around North America including at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, The Kennedy Center, Ford Theatres presented by The Music Center, and Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out. He was named “Best New Force in L.A Dance” for 2016 by LA Weekly, and “30 Under 30: The remarkable young people changing the L.A. Jewish community” by Jewish Journal in 2017. Jacob was an invited participant to the 2017 annual Arts Summit hosted by The Kennedy Center and Yo Yo Ma for his arts advocacy and innovative use connecting dance and social platforms. He has worked in advertising and fashion for a variety of clients including Nike, James Perse, Acura, Vidal Sassoon, and The Getty Museum. Jacob founded his company in 2014 and works to bring dance to a wider audience through collaboration, technology, education, and performance. (@jacobjonasthecompany)