Jacob Jonas, Dancer, Choreographer, and Founder of Films.Dance

Jacob Jonas consistently questions who dance is for, where it belongs, and how it can be sustained.  From his early days as a street performer on Venice Beach to founding his own company at just 21, his work reflects a conviction that art must evolve alongside audiences. That perspective has shaped his drive to build new models for the field just as much as it has informed his creative practice. In this episode, Jacob discusses expanding access to dance beyond traditional ticketed spaces, and bringing movement to the screen through his global platform Films.Dance. He also reflects on the gaps he sees across the dance ecosystem—from outdated funding models to legacy approaches to marketing—where emerging leaders have opportunities to rethink the future of the field.