Dashing through the sand, for Sia’s new official music video, “Pin Drop,” is Jacob Jonas The Company (JJTC). This Christmas Diva’s new album is this season’s melancholy holiday hit. Sia has been known for mixing dance with song. Whether in concert or in her music videos her artistic collaboration with dancers have included a young Maddie Ziegler. Ms. Ziegler was a competition contemporary dancer from the reality show Dance Moms who made an imaginative impression in the music world. Sia brought competition contemporary dance to the mainstream music world in a confrontational in your face collective. In true Sia format, she has turned it up a notch with a dose of the mix media movement group Jacob Jonas The Company.
Jacob Jonas The Company in Sia’s video “Pin Drop” – Screenshot courtesy of JJTC
Since 2014, the JJTC has been based in Los Angeles, California headed by LA native founder, choreographer, and director Jacob Jonas. The group has performed at many venues across Los Angeles and is a company in residence at and with The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. They are a highlight in the community – their performances do sell out. They have toured to the East Coast and worked with fashion designers Kanye West, and Jonathan Simkhai and clothing companies such as GAP and Kappa. The program in the JJTC’s work ranges from street, breakdancing, tumbling, contemporary, posing, athletic transfers, Counter Technique, balletic and modern undertones. The type of movements and ideas are not new, however, it’s the way JJTC presents and arranges them in a visual segmental viewing instant that transmit to our generation and the adversities of today.
Sia’s favorable voice always stands on its own, as an emotional strong expression that resonates with many fans. In the footage of “Pin Drop” you see segmental desolate moments of people sprawled on desert sand. Director/Choreographer, Jacob Jonas; Director of Photography, Jessica Young; and editor, Alexander Hammer, have a compelling cinematic approach of dropping the images in a continuous circle rotation, which is reminiscent of old movies but brought into present-day. A prominent female figure, in Sia’s uniform beige skin colored leotard, belongs to Emma Rosenzweig-Bock. She is committed to her role and is very relatable to the viewer. The video then takes a dramatic turn with a soulful and moving moment when each dancer, with closed eyes, falls to the ground and is pulled away. Perhaps, a reminder of our Covid-19 deaths? A possible image of all our loved ones and those that have fallen to this vindictive virus? To many dance professionals and spectators, the performers actions might seem too repetitive, which has become a staple of contemporary programs. It seems to work here in relaying the context of the words and beats.
Jacob Jonas The Company in Sia’s video “Pin Drop” – Featured Emma Rosenzweig-Bock – Screenshot courtesy of JJTC
There is a crossed arm pose that Ms. Rosenzweig-Bock uses several times within the piece, as if she is being held up by her arms. It proves to be useful in portraying a helpless person in need of saving, as the lyrics underlyingly suggest. A counterpart to Emma is standout Michael Montgomery, he is striking, dynamic and a force of complete rotation. Mr. Montgomery has such a powerful presence and striking skill, what a great addition to this unit. The rest of the talented artists are Harmony Adams, Chadwick Gaspard, Maxwell Simoes, Renee Stewart, Layne Willis and Chandler Davids whom has a pleasant promise in the group. The costumes by Greg Lauren are ideal and enhance the entire pictorial feeling of the presentation. The air in the scene is cloudy and murky, creating the environment of dancing in an area filling up with the sand they have kicked up – a very well thought out visual element. Perhaps, another sign of Covid-19? That the air on earth is not so clean anymore or an approach to our environmental issues? That is what is ideal about abstract form of art, the audience can connect and pull their interpretations out from what is highlighted.
Jacob Jonas The Company in Sia’s video “Pin Drop” – Screenshot courtesy of JJTC
Jacob Jonas The Company is really a perfect company to portray Sia’s brand. They are edgy, young, relatable, and impressive with marketing, with almost 250K followers on Instagram. You can view the official music video on You Tube or on Sia’s official website. It is wonderful to see the collaboration of professional dance companies with popular artists. This is an encouraging venture, to see, dance evolving more into our lives and that it can stay on trend – JJTC has done this gracefully.
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To learn more about Jacob Jonas The Company, please visit their website.
Written by Alice Alyse for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Jacob Jonas The Company in Sia’s video “Pin Drop” – Screenshot courtesy of JJTC
