Jacob Henss

bio

Jacob Henss is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher. He has been an adjunct faculty member at Millikin University and Space Coordinator for Dance at Illinois at the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign(UIUC). He is a graduate with an MFA in Dance from UIUC (2019-22) where he was awarded the Vannie L. Sheiry Memorial Award in 2021 and 2022, an award given to a dance major demonstrating exceptional performance by a graduate student. He is also a graduate of Webster University (2013–17) with a BA in Dance and Music where he was awarded dance honors and the emerging choreographer award, given to a graduating senior showcasing exceptional choreographic exploration and execution. Henss has performed with the Modern American Dance Company (MADCO), located in St. Louis, MO, where he was a MADCO2 founding member (2017–18) and later an apprentice for the main company (2018–19). Post undergraduate graduation, he has become a producer for his own work and that of others in the St. Louis area. Several works and events of importance include Weigh Station, Do Not Go Gentle, The Other Sides, Conservation, and Non Cura. Henss has been fortunate to work with choreographers Sara Hook, Tere O’Connor, Jennifer Monson, Roxane D’Orleans Juste, Rebecca Nettl-Fiol, Omri Drumlevich (resetting a work by Ohad Naharin), Nejla Yatkins, Micheal Uthoff, Rachel Rizzuto, and Kayt MacMaster. Henss has also been in residency with St. Louis presenters such as Sports Medicine & Training Center, Webster University, MADCO2, Karlovsky and Company, Materializing and Activating Social Habitus (MARSH), and CommUnity Arts Festival.