Jordan tries on the Lulu costume from "Hapless Hooligan in 'Still Moving.'" Lookin' good, Jordan!
Where are you from? Where did you get your training? What’s your background?
Jordan: I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and played sports my entire life. Basketball, softball, volleyball, swimming…pretty much any sport I loved. I got into dance as a teenager, taking it as an elective in high school. I originally studied dance in college because I knew it would be physical and thought it might mean less paperwork. I fell in love it and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Dance Performance. In September of 2006, I moved to Brooklyn to pursue a career in dance. After moving to New York I danced with HT Chen, Karl Anderson, and Douglas Dunn.
How did you find out about Pilobolus?
Jordan: I first found out about Pilobous in college in my dance history class. The second time I saw Pilobolus was three years ago at the Joyce theater in New York City. I was intrigued by the way Pilobolus combined science and dance. The show seemed to have a theme of evolution and I had just finished taking a biology class in summer school before I moved to New York so my mind was was fresh with all of these concepts.
What was the audition process like? Did you ever think you were going to get cut or were you pretty confident?
Jordan: This year’s audition was my second audition for Pilobolus. The first time I auditioned for Pilobolus two years ago, I got cut about halfway through the process. It was different than other auditions in that we were asked to improvise almost the entire time. I had been to so many auditions where I was just asked to mimic exact movement so that was sort of what I was expecting. After I got cut I realized I needed to improve my improvisation skills so I asked around and found out where the improv jams were in the city. I found some on Monday and Wednesday nights that I really liked, and I started going to them every week as much as I could for the whole year leading up to the next audition so I would be better prepared. This year I felt pretty confident. There was a part of me that knew I was going to get it…and then at the end when there was only a few of us left I started to question myself. I just told myself that I could only be me and if they didnt like it, well too bad because this is all I got! That made it a little easier.
How was your first week of rehearsal? Anything harder or easier than you thought it would be?
Jordan: The first week of rehearsal was great. It was difficult and I was sore, but I expected that. I received fair warning from everyone that it was going to be a pressure cooker with lots of notes and lots to take in and to let people know if I was going to explode, so I wasn’t taken by surprise. I thought about this a lot before I came here and I felt prepared to take whatever was thrown at me. It’s not any harder than I imagined, but its not easier either. It’s pretty much what I thought it would be. I am surprised to see how alert everyone is and how they work together all the time. No one seems to be totally running the show, yet they find a way to let each other talk and let me talk and it seems to work out nicely so far. I sense a lot of respect in rehearsal.
Are there any tour locations that you are looking forward to in particular this year?
Jordan: I am really looking forward to Brazil! Ive always wanted to visit South America, I think it will be beautiful and I love warm climates. I took some capoeria classes and got really into that before I joined Pilobolus so if I could see and join in some of that dancing, that would be cool. Also, I am really looking forward to Israel. Lots of history there…not that I know a lot about the history but I would love to learn more. Pretty much any of the warmer places, and anywhere international I am looking forward to because that was my dream – to be able to see the world while dancing.
Is there anything else you’re looking forward to this season?
Jordan: I am looking forward to breaking away from my habit of always thinking I have to be independent and state my individuality, and just do everything on my own all the time. I think this is one of my strengths, but also one of my weaknesses. I tend to roll solo, and hang with one or two good friends at a time. My whole life I’ve never favored being part of a huge group of people that all did the same things together. I always felt the individual was lost in those situations because this sort of group mentality dominated and people followed that. I think there is a balance though of finding how I can maintain my individuality and contribute my own ideas WHILE being part of a group and exploring their ideas too to create this unified feeling without losing who you are. If everyone has a strong mind a lot of great things can happen and that’s the situation I feel like I’m in now. I’m really looking forward to totally sinking into this journey with these people and really becoming part of the family and being comfortable with that.
Interviewed by Jeffery Huang
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
There is a funny story about Jordan taking dance in high school as an elective. she was out of town when it was time to register for school, so I knew that I needed to do it for her. I love photography, so i tried to sign her up for that class…it was full. The two electives that were left were life drawing, and dance, so dance it was..a cosmic coincidence that photography class was already full!
Jordan’s mom, debbe
Wow! What a serendipitous decision you made, Debbe! Who knows? If you had chosen “life drawing,” Jordan might be a painter right now…
Welcome to Pilobolus
Looking forward to meeting the new faces at the Marin Center. I miss everyone so much. Great blog, Jeffrey!
Thanks, Dean! See you in San Rafael in a few weeks!
Weird Debbie, I think if it weren’t for my academic councilor senior year of highschool suggesting dance as a last minute elective I don’t think I would be trying to be a dancer today… Like this Blog idea, interactivity is the way to go; there’s so many ideas, and people to collaborate and contribute to things. Plus having profiles up like this gives an otherwise intimidating company a human face.
I’m like Jordan in a way with communication technology boom response…went through 8 cell phones last year alone! I think we should all throw are cell phones in a bonfire and burn them.. I have a love/hate relationship with the internet though, youtube/facebook in particular…Love you guys, keep inspiring dancers like me to keep up the struggle ! : )
Love from New Orleans!
-Jen Whiddon
Hey Jen,
Well, your counselor must of thought dance would be beneficial for you..and look, something that you never thought of doing is now a major part of your life….please don’t burn your cell phone. How can those dance companies that you audition for get ahold of you! : )….just quit losing it! 8 phones in one year????
Jordan,
nice to hear your story a little bit. can’t wait to work with you in the studio. see you soon!
matt
HELLO JORDAN, OH MY GOD LOOK AT YOU AND I JUST USED TO HEAR ABOUT YOU!Good luck and enjoy the wonders of travel, can not wait to hear all about it. It is so nice to see you fullfiling your dreams…. I hope to catch a show i will keep up with your mom.
Pam
Jordan I have to say that dancing certainly runs in your family. Thanks to you, Debbe has been gracing me with her dance ability at Arthur Murray Phoenix for the past 2 weeks and is a natural! I want to thank you for encouraging her to take lessons, I think I’ve had more fun teaching her than she has.
Hopefully when you’re in town the two of you will come for one of our parties!
- Joe
I saw Jordan dancing this evening at the Joyce and was so impressed with her performance that I wanted to read a little more about her, which is how I ended up here. She’s a really strong dancer, and, I have to say, off-the-charts beautiful.
Thanks, Carl! I forwarded your comments to her.
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