On The Rise: Lindsey Jones

Freelancer Lindsey Jones is a study in contrasts. Her long limbs cut through the air with precision, not languor; a great physical comedian, she also carries herself with intense emotional restraint. As a company member of Dance Heginbotham, the 5′ 9″ dancer brings speed and specificity to his absurdist, angular moves. “It’s fascinating to see this long, tall figure moving really, really quickly,” says John Heginbotham. “She can work small and big—and not everyone can do that.”

Jones in Heginbotham’s Twin. Photo by Amber Star Merkens, courtesy Dance Heginbotham

Companies
: Dance Heginbotham, Pam Tanowitz Dance

Age
: 24

Hometown
: St. Louis

Training
: Center of Creative Arts in St. Louis, BFA from SUNY Purchase, Merce Cunningham Trust’s Professional Training Program

Early experience
: “I fell in love with tap first, at about 9. I was obsessed. The rhythms really spoke to me. My sister and I would tap on the street for money. We made a couple hundred bucks. I think $30 an hour was our average.”

Breakout moment
: When Heginbotham came to SUNY Purchase to set a work on its dancers, she asked him to choreograph her senior project. When he agreed, “it was a huge validation,” she says. Heginbotham, who was still dancing for Mark Morris at the time, was so pleased with the resulting solo, he wound up expanding it into a larger work, Twin—his debut piece at New York City’s Baryshnikov Arts Center.

Intellectual approach
: Jones describes herself as a sporty kid and “wild child,” but chose dance because of its cerebral challenge. “I was so bored when I played sports,” she says. “Dancing was harder—you were using both your mind and your body.”

Freelance challenges
: Jones also dances for Pam Tanowitz Dance, restages Merce Cunningham work and juggles a variety of other projects. “I have to be my own best boss, do all the scheduling,” she says. “They don’t teach you that in school.” But the mix has helped her become a better dancer, she says. “I love the work I’m doing, and the different people I’ve had opportunities to work with. It’s always a growing experience.”