At the age of 12, Jakob Karr was mesmerized in his first jazz dance class when his teacher demonstrated the technique of changing and kicking the ball. He imitated steps tentatively, then let his spindly legs fly over his head. “Oh! I have to do it again,” he said with a smile, feeling the freedom that matched the height of his legs.
Now, 22 years later, Carr not only demonstrates his flexibility and performance skills, but also uses his choreography to challenge the traditional role of dance in theatre. He promoted a new era of Broadway that emphasized dancers as artists who could tell stories without words.
Carl is from Orlando, Florida and is a competition dancer at Shooting Star Dance School. In 2008, as a high school student, he won a national championship at the New York City Dance Alliance, opening up a wide range of opportunities in the dance industry. After graduation, Carl moved to New York City to attend Fordham University.
“I’m very eager to reach a professional level,” he said. So after his freshman year of college, Carl auditioned for the sixth season of So You Think You Can Dance. He almost won the entire event but finished second in the final. “In a lot of ways, I feel like I won because I earned the start of my career.”
His “SYTYCD” connections launched him into the professional world. Carl spent three years with Austin McCormick’s Dance Company XIV, which inverted fairy tales and classical ballets in a baroque style. He learned a lot from McCormick and considered McCormick one of his most influential mentors. In 2016, Carl began working with Andy Blankenbuehler during pre-production on the Broadway revival of cat.
During the pandemic, Carr saw an opportunity to create something entirely his own. He gathered his closest friends – all brilliant dancers – to create and star in his show Didn’t do anything bad. The production premiered at the Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival in 2021 and just completed a successful off-Broadway run at the Pershing Square Signature Center.
dance teacher caught up with Carl to learn how his professional experiences helped shape his artistic journey.
exist Didn’t do anything bad and its future:
“In my opinion, the best dancers are my closest friends… They are amazing and we are in the same boat, but we are often overlooked because we are not musical theater graduates. We do not have incredible Voice. I want to create a show where we can come together as strong players to showcase and showcase to the best of our abilities… With the momentum we’ve built, my goal is to bring Didn’t do anything bad to Broadway.
On his greatest influence:
“[Austin McCormick] is a genius and it blew my mind watching how he developed his scenes. I’ve always admired this, and as I became more and more of a creator, I began to channel him. I think about the way everyone respected him and I ask myself, “How did this happen?” Those experiences were a foundational part of my career.
superior cat travel:
“Before they auditioned, I worked with Andy Blankenbuehler for a year to develop a movement language. But when we auditioned, it was obvious that I wasn’t right for the part.
“Six months later, I was brought into the campaign when someone got injured. I went through another round of auditions and was really exhausted. I remember feeling like I was at my wits end. Two days later, my agent called me and told me I Shows booked.
“Casting is a puzzle that’s more about the big picture than the individual. I learned the hard way before my dream came true. Everything about cat The experience was good for me because it taught me that the best dancers are rarely all that is needed for a performance. This is the reality of Broadway.
“I’ve seen too many multi-million dollar musicals where dancers move props in the background while the star singer stands center stage. That’s not to say the singer doesn’t have talent, but I believe there’s room to expand the spotlight and fully Realize your dance potential.
Advice for other creatives:
“If you have an idea for a show, movie, or anything creative, get started right away and write it down. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from mentors and friends. To do this, developing a community around your work is crucial. If you come to me Say, ‘Jacob, I think I want to make this dance short. Here’s my outline, and I want to read it. I’m sure there are more people than you think who are willing to do the same thing.
