“I started dance classes at 4,” says Stella Jacobs, “though my mom,” who ran a pre-school in their basement for 18 years, “says I wanted to start earlier.”

Stella has always used dance as escape and as expression. She says she got more reserved and more observant as she got older, and it could be hard. But with dance, “I open up. Close people really get to see you. If you’re shy, dance is a way to reach others.”

She never did do other sports—“I wasn’t ever a competitive kid,” she says—but started jazz and tap, then ballet at the Deborah Mason Performing Arts Center.It was in the 8th grade and high school when she began to take dancing more seriously, mostly classical ballet.

But it was also in high school, though, that she fell in love with contemporary dance. Stella was an early high school graduate (due to Covid) and by this point wanted to look beyond her home studio. The next years were a whirlwind of places and dance experiences. Her first next step was joining the San Francisco-based Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program. The company’s focus is ‘contemporary ballet,’ which Stella says was a good transition. At first—for an entire year—it was online. A second whole year was spent in the studio, but masked. During her San Francisco time she also danced with SFDanceworks and DawsonDanceSF.Then, after a six-month apprenticeship with BODYTRAFFIC in Los Angeles, Stella learned of a contemporary dance intensive in New York City. She went for a week, fell in love with the city (though she had visited often before), and stayed for a year and a half. During a year in the GibneyPRO program (where she met future Whimmer Owen Fulton), she was also free-lancing with a number of different companies.

When I ask Stella what draws her to contemporary rather than other styles of dance, the thoughtfully replies, “I think of contemporary dance as an ambiguous, beautiful, but raw movement style. There’s so much that can be considered contemporary, and that’s a big reason why I’m drawn to it. There’s freedom and openness to all people involved – the dancer, the choreographer, and the audience. While many creations have a theme or tone, a lot within these worlds can be interpreted personally by the dancer and viewer in a variety of ways.

By the time Stella finally auditioned for Whim W’Him last year, she had performed and done intensives with many companies and been to most of the major US cities. “It’s nice,” she says, “to be here for more than a second.” Growing up in Somerville, north of Boston and spending every summer on Cape Cod, she has always loved the outdoors, though she adds that she was considered the ‘city girl’ of her family.

After so much variety and change, Stella is quite pleased to be living in Seattle and also to be staying with one dance company for an extended period. It’s “more sleepy here. New York is great for young singles. But even though I miss the vastness of the NY dance community—who you can meet in open class—now I’m having my ‘little grandma moment,’ and I love it.”

To my query about what Stella likes about dancing with Whim and what might be difficult, she gives a detailed and thoughtful answer. “Working with Whim W’Him is both rewarding and challenging. I think it’s one of few companies in the states that focuses all their attention and resources on new pieces. That’s a big reason why I was drawn to Whim – I love being in creation and experiencing such a diverse set of voices that work with us. Continually using my own voice while bringing out a choreographer’s vision is so enriching.

“While there are countless reasons why I enjoy this structure, at some moments I crave a longer process with choreographers. Managing and holding onto the integrity of each piece while switching to the next can be a bit tough as a dancer. However, there’s beauty in working on something and then letting it go. As an artist, I’m learning to trust myself in quicker processes. Here, I can push myself to grasp what’s readily available to me whether that’s from the choreographer or myself and trust in that choice.

“A company of seven is quite intimate. I’ve become close to a few members who have brought so much to my life as a new resident in Seattle. You get to know how each of your co-workers work and the ins and outs of how we all find our voice here. I’m grateful to share a place with such eager and generous people.”

And now for Stella’s favorites:

Color: “Dark purple”

Foods: “I love food and it’s hard to choose between all the different cuisines. Thai and Italian are a couple of my favorites. I also love raspberries and a good fruit tart!”

Drink: “Iced chai recently”

Music: “I listen to a variety of music genres, it really depends on my mood. I do love Indie any time. A few artists that come to mind are Ethal Cain, Arlo Parks, Mt. Joy and Japanese House.”

Hobbies or things you like to do when not dancing: “I’ve always loved cooking and trying new recipes. My mom and I used to cook all the time together, challenging ourselves to try a new recipe from a different country every week. Cooking and baking is therapeutic. I get pretty antsy when I’m not moving my body so it’s also a great way to stay up. I used to collect a ton of house plants, and I’ve had to re-start my collection every time I move so I haven’t been able to collect as many as I have in the past. I’m really trying to read more and expand my attention span. I used to LOVE a good memoir, so I’m hoping this year I can spend more of my free time focusing on that.”

The first and last 8 photographs are courtesy of Whim W’Him. The others were provided by Stella.