Performer / Creator / Teacher

Artist Biography

Jacob Watton is a Queensland-based choreographer and performer working in Meanjin, Brisbane and Toowoomba, Australia. In 2017 Jacob graduated with first-class honours from a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) from the Queensland University of Technology.

Jacob’s choreographic work has toured internationally. His work 1:1 a dance and technology work toured to the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria in 2017 . In 2019 Jacob presented his dance works ‘and JULIET’ and ‘9 to Forever’ at the Busan International Dance Festival in Busan, South Korea. Most recently in 2020 Jacob premiered his technology performance, ‘Alexa, Turn on the Lights’, at the Curious Arts Festival in Toowoomba, Queensland and went on to present a sold out season at the Wynnum Fringe Festival and the Artlands Conference in 2021. In 2020 Jacob presented a development showing of his political cabaret ‘A Sun-Safe Summer Striptease’ at the Supercell Festival of Contemporary Dance.

As well as his work as a choreographer, Jacob has also taken on the roles of performer and collaborator. Jacob has been working with Gareth Belling, co-director of Collusion Music and Dance developing ‘Turbine’ in 2018 for the Brisbane Powerhouse’s Melt Festival and later touring the work to the Shanghai Dance Festival in Shanghai, China. Since 2018 Jacob has been working with RAVA Productions and their shows Charlotte's Web and the Wind and the Willows. RAVA Productions has a commitment to touring regionally in Queensland presenting Charlotte's Web to 13 venues in 2021 and 18 venues in 2022. Jacob is a performer and facilitator in Angela Chaplin’s ‘If Only I Could’, a performance partnering with age care facilities and residents to unpack the themes of age and dance from 2018 to the 2021 with the premiere season in 2021. Jacob has been working with Prying Eye’s co-directors Zaimon and Lizzie Vilmanis in multiple roles as facilitator, teacher, rehearsal director, and collaborator throughout 2019 - 2021. Most recently Jacob is working with Prying Eye on their next major season, ‘Primal Effect’ a collaboration between Prying Eye and drummer Grant Collins. Jacob has been working with the Phluxus2 Dance Collective under the Artistic Direction of Dr. Nerida Matthaei since 2017 in multiple roles as a teacher, artist in residence, producer, and collaborator. Most recently Jacob is in development for Phluxus2’s latest season of ‘MORT’. Jacob plays Trevor in Claire Marshall Productions Immersive dance installation “Permutations”.