Hailing from Las Vegas gave Whim W’Him’s Jacob Beasley many different opportunities to hone his striking range of facility, from hauntingly fluid in Mark Caserta’s CHAMP to passionate and spirited, in artistic director Olivier Wevers’ Rituals for the Mother. Those early experiences—which included a blend of studio training, commercial dance competitions, a performing arts high school, and, later, Houston Ballet Academy—provided a balance of what Beasley calls “rigor, encouragement, and humor” in embodying distinct narratives and characters. Key to his performance today is that technical training in ballet, says Wevers. “The most compelling dancers are the ones who understand technique so deeply that they can move beyond it,” he says. “Jacob’s classical training is absolutely visible in his contemporary movement.”
Company: Whim W’Him
Age: 26
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Training: In Nevada, The Rock Center for Dance, Fern Adair Conservatory of the Arts, and Las Vegas Academy of the Arts magnet high school; Houston Ballet Academy
The road to Whim W’Him: Beasley performed with BalletMet 2, Ballet Idaho, and LED before dancing with NW Dance Project, an experience he says prepared him for Whim W’Him’s open and intimate environment. Says Beasley: “Working with so many different artists gave me a unique perspective and motivation to continue defining my own practice with openness, curiosity, and appreciation for what I get to do every day.”
Serious play: Onstage, Beasley’s a powerhouse—explosive, but smart, intentional, and with an emotional repertory that drives the audience to follow his every move. “I see performance as a conversation of giving and receiving, with slightly different choices emerging with each show,” says Beasley. “It almost feels like playtime, like tugging on the invisible strings of the audience.”
Here and now: He not only dances the transitions, but he devours them, creating a continuous flow, even in the most staccato of movements. An almost spiritual maturity and reverence in his ability to connect with dancers and audience alike, and a singular sense of presence, is part of that. “Although quiet by nature, Jacob is incredibly present,” says Wevers. “And that’s one of his greatest strengths. Audiences sense that openness, allowing them to be moved.”
Memory maker: What that means is that Beasley’s performances are unique, unforgettable. Adds Wevers: “Presence is becoming our most valuable currency in the arts. So much of what we consume now is mediated or recorded, but live performance exists in the opposite realm. What makes Jacob special is his capacity to be completely inside that movement, creating a shared visceral experience.”
Dancemaking: Beasley hopes to bring those movement qualities to his first choreographic project, a show with Seattle musician Michael Cepress. “Choreographing is not typically something I move towards,” admits Beasley. “It’ll require trust and openness to move beyond my comfort zone.”
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