Sally Jacques, founder of Blue Lapis Light, creates site-specific aerial dance works that transform urban spaces by engaging architecture with movement, music and nature.

As native of England with multicultural heritage, Jacques’ life has been unconventional from childhood on. As a young dance performer, she hitchhiked throughout Europe with little money, sleeping on beaches, broken down ruins, and even a heated phone booth in the Swiss Alps. A seeker at heart, Jacques continued to travel to many parts of the world and connect with dedicated and inspiring activists from diverse backgrounds. All of Jacques’ memories breathe life and vision into Blue Lapis Light.

Jacques’ early career included international performances in Munich, Barcelona, Vienna and Costa Rica. She studied dance at The Place and The Contemporary Dance Center in London and attended the Lee Strasberg Drama School in New York to study improvisation and acting. Jacques also studied movement at the Oval Theatre in London.

For many years, Jacques traveled the world for social justice, attending the United Nations Conferences and World Social Forums in Brazil, Vienna, China, Mumbai and Spain. She participated in peace talks in Germany, Malta, and Italy, and attended the United Nations Environment and Development Plenaries in Florida. Jacques worked with the Everardo Foundation to raise awareness of Mayan genocide in Guatemala and worked with the American Committee to Save Bosnia. She traveled to the rape camps in the former-Yugoslavia collecting medical supplies for the refugees. In 1993, Jacques performed a dance-monologue at the United Nations Conference on Human Rights in Vienna.

The recipient of numerous honors, Jacques has been awarded: the USA Artists Fellowship Award Nominee (2008), Austin Arts Hall of Fame Inductee (2007), Samsung Signature Award (2006), Greater Austin YWCA Woman of the Year for Achievement in the Arts (2003), Honorary Lifetime Member of the Golden Key National Honor Society (2003), Art Matters, NYC (1992) and The Susan B. Anthony Award for Peace (1988).

Jacques has received several Austin Critics Table Awards including: Best Dance Concert (2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016 and 2017), Top Ten Performances (2004), Top 10 Dance Events (2006), Top 10 Dance Treasures (2010, 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2020), Top 10 Joys of Dance (2019) and Best Choreographer (2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017).

Receiving multiple grants throughout her career, Jacques has been bestowed: the New Form Regional Initiative Grant with José Luis Bustamante funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, Rockefeller Foundation and Andy Warhol Foundation (1994), National Endowment for the Arts (1988, 2006-present), Texas Commission on the Arts (1991-present), and the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division (1991-present).

Jacques’ work has been recognized and featured at South by Southwest (SXSW) Community Screening (2018), PBS/KLRU‘s Arts in Context Belonging, Part One (2017), PBS/KLRU‘s Arts in Context Here and Beyond (2014), PBS/KLRU’s Austin Now: Faces of Austin (2006), and PBS/KLRU’s Austin Now (2004). 64 Beds for the Homeless has been screened at museums in New York City, Berlin, Madrid, and currently showing in Museo Nazinolae Delle Arti del XX1 in Rome. Jacques was a featured speaker at PechaKucha Austin (2019).

As well as being interviewed on many radio and television stations, Jacques has also had her work studied and published in several magazines and books. Some of these include: Site Dance: Choreographers and the Lure of Alternative Spaces by Carolyn Pavlik and Melanie Kloetzel (2009), Dance Appreciation, a collegiate textbook by Dawn Davis Loring and Julie L. Pentz (2021), 64 Beds and Other Site Works by Sally Jacques (1996) published by Plain View Press, and Flying High Above the Texas Sky: Aerial Dance Takes Off in the Lone Star State by Nichelle Suzanne/Arts & Culture Texas (2019). Jacques has had essays published about her works in Portugal, New Zealand, Atlanta’s Arts Papers (1988-2004), Performance Magazine, Chicago (1993), Austin American-Statesman, and The Austin Chronicle (1988-present).

To make dance accessible for all and to foster a sense of community, Jacques taught movement to at-risk teenagers, prison inmates, and senior citizens for many years. Currently, Blue Lapis Light mentors at-risk youth through the Youth Taking Flight program.

Nicole Whiteside loves dance! During her 20 years with Blue Lapis Light she has served as performer, choreographer, rigger, teacher, and associate artistic director. Her classical ballet training began at age two and blossomed into a life-long love of dance.

She has studied at esteemed studios including Houston Ballet Academy, High School for Performing and Visual Arts, Austin School of Classical Ballet, and Marsha Woody Academy of Dance. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a BFA in Dance and has continued dancing in Austin with local companies, including Sharir+Bustamante Danceworks, Sheep Army/Elsewhere Dance Theater, Austin School of Classical Ballet, Cheryl Chaddick Dance Theater, and Little Stolen Moments.

She has received numerous awards from the Austin Critics Table including Best Dancer in 2007 and 2013 and Best Duet in 2008. The Austin Chronicle awarded Little Stolen Moments Best Dance Company in 2010 and Best Creative Use of Three Small Trampolines in 2007. For New Year’s, First Night commissioned her performance, Fabric of the Hour, a silks piece performed inside Austin City Hall. She was nominated Best Choreographer for her aerial choreography with ZACH Theatre’s Metamorphoses by the B. Iden Payne Awards. Nicole manages Blue Lapis Light’s studio where she teaches the art of aerial dance. She has performed aerial silks since 2005, studying with aerialists at New England Center for the Circus Arts, Air Dance Bernasconi, Aircat Aerial Arts, House of Yes, Liza Rose, and FALL. Nicole is driven by collaboration and is eternally grateful for the unique beauty in all people!

Kari Burke is an Austin based dancer, choreographer and somatic practitioner. She began dancing professionally at age 16 with modern and ballet dance companies, continued on to perform with artists like Rick Ross and Kanye West, and is entering her 15th year as an aerialist with Blue Lapis Light. Kari has choreographed and presented numerous works for tv, film and stage, including a tv show episode awarded an Emmy. She earned her dual BA in Dance Performance/Choreography and Psychology from Hope College. She then continued on to study behavioral coaching with Oxford psychologists before starting her private somatic coaching practice. Kari is passionate about helping people find healing through movement, and is deeply honored to collaborate with Blue Lapis Light to create prayers for the planet.

Amy is proudly enjoying her 10th season with Blue Lapis Light. She has also had the pleasure of collaborating with many dance companies and choreographers over the years including Blipswitch, Jennifer Sherburn, Ellen Bartel Dance Collective, Andrea Aerial, Contemporary Dance Fort Worth, and others. She choreographed the movement for Kesha’s “Here Comes the Change” lyric video, and has worked with several other musical artists, including Knifight, Golden Dawn Arkestra, Sorne, Band of Heathens, Nightdrive, Fort Never, and more. As an actor, she appears in several independent films, including Katy McCarthy’s “The Violinist”, in which she plays the titular character. Amy is also a dance filmmaker. Her latest work, in collaboration with John Gable, recently premiered at the Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art. On most days, you can find her teaching aerial classes at Sky Candy and the Blue Lapis Light studio.

Jack is a quiet yet quirky military brat that began his dance journey at age 16. After Breakdancing for few years, he took his first ballet class at UT El Paso. Upon moving to Austin in 2011, Jack became more intrigued and began dancing modern. In 2015, he received the Austin Critics Table award alongside Alyson Dolan for Best Duet. He taught several levels of Cechetti ballet method at ONE Academy of Dance for 11 years and retired in 2022. He has recently started performing with Early Era Collective. Jack is stoked for yet another performance with Blue Lapis Light.

Katie is a dance artist in Austin, Texas. Her work is creative, academic, and interpersonal. She is most interested in creating dance and learning experiences that are universally designed for all. Dancer, educator, advocate: she is driven by her passion for community-building and the belief that dance is for everyone.

Susan Harkey has had the joy of dancing with Blue Lapis Light since 2012. She has a wide variety of movement training including aerial silks, harness, contortion, lyra, pole, partner acrobatics, modern dance, ballet, rock climbing, and yoga. She has performed with Blue Lapis Light in Heaven Earth One (2012 & 2013), Love’s Prayer (2012), East ~ West (2013), In Light (2014 & 2019), Edge of Grace (2015 & 2021), Radiance (2016), Luminations (2018 & 2019), Beyond the Clouds (2020),  Belonging Part 1 (2017, 2018, & 2022), Belonging Part 2 (2023) and various other works. She's also had the pleasure of performing in and around Austin with Rapt Aerial Dance, Austin Community College, and Jennifer Sherburn. One of her greatest joys in life is sharing the gift of aerial dance through teaching at the Blue Lapis Light studio. When not in the air, she moonlights as a web developer. 

Ricky Dashner is a Texas-based dancer, aerialist, choreographer, and educator whose movement journey began in color guard in his hometown of Meridian, Texas. After touring nationally with Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps, Ricky moved to Austin to pursue dance at Austin Community College, where he trained in ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary dance. His work has been shaped by experiences in both dance and color guard, as well as collaborations with artists and performers throughout Central Texas. His choreography has been presented through Dance Carousel Austin and selected to represent Austin Community College at ACDA 2024 showcase, further developing his practice as a choreographer and creator.

Ricky currently performs with Blue Lapis Light as an aerialist and ground dancer, exploring the relationship between movement, architecture, and the environment. His practice continues to grow through aerial and contemporary dance, choreography, and performance, with a passion for creating movement that invites connection, curiosity, and a sense of wonder. 

Born and raised in Austin, Lisa is a professional modern dance artist with a deep appreciation for collaboration, high-energy movement, and athletic performance. She earned a B.F.A. in Dance from The University of Texas at Austin and later completed an M.A. in Dance Performance from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance in London, where she also studied and performed.

After moving to Brooklyn, NY, Lisa developed ensemble work with Romulus NYC and Semillas Dance Collective and performed with artists and companies including Kristin Sudeikis Dance and Depth Dance. Since returning to Austin in 2016, she has performed with Blue Lapis Light, BLiPSWiTCH, TY&CO, Ventana Ballet, Jennifer Sherburn, and others, and was a company member of Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company from 2016–2022.

Lisa is a co-producer, creator, and performer with Dance Carousel, an ongoing collaborative performance project, and co-produces the Austin Dance Festival’s Dance on Film event and biannual Dance Film Night screenings at Austin Community College. Her work has also taken her beyond the traditional dance stage, including a 2022 national tour with New Orleans-based puppet theater company Lightwire Theater and a 2025 interactive performance at dadaLab for Austin’s Fusebox Festival.

Beyond performing, Lisa teaches Pilates and barre-inspired mat classes, choreographs and adjudicates for McCallum High School’s Dance Department, and frequently works backstage with lighting designer Stephen Pruitt. This August, she will appear in Broad Theater’s production of Greg Romero’s Falling Down the Mountain of Great Storms at The Rosette, bringing a Great Blue Heron to life through movement. Lisa is honored to continue her long-standing relationship with Blue Lapis Light, where she first performed in 2017’s Belonging, Part One as a window dancer. After years of exploring movement across stages, cities, and disciplines, she continues to find joy in collaboration, adventure, and the unexpected ways movement can tell a story.

Clay Moore grew up as a competitive dancer from Houston, TX.  After graduating, he trained in Los Angeles and New York City prior to landing in ATX. Now an Austin based choreographer and performer he has been featured in works with ARCOS Dance, BLiPSWiTCH,  Jennifer Sherburn, and Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company. He tours during the winter with Lightwire Theater based in New Orleans and shares his passion and education as an Assistant Director of a youth dance group, Ignite Dance Company at Balance Dance Studios.

Barry was raised in Texas and comes to Blue Lapis Light with 28 years of rock climbing experience and 45 years in the construction industry. He served on the Central Texas Climbing Committee (CTCC) for 14 years. The CTCC is an independently chartered advisory committee established to provide guidance and expert knowledge to Texas Parks and Wildlife regarding rock climbing resources and the placement of fixed protection at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. In 2018, Barry and his team received the Always a Safe Flight Award, a Special Citation from the Austin Critics Table for his rigging design and execution in Belonging, Part One (2017). When not throwing ropes for Blue Lapis, Barry can be found hiking, climbing, biking, and repairing the trails of Central Texas and North America.

James Faerber has been rock climbing for almost 30 years and guiding full time since 2001, primarily working at Enchanted rock during the winter season and traveling to Colorado and Wyoming in the summers. He also enjoys alpine climbing and guiding and has guided numerous ascents of high peaks in the western US as well as expeditions to the volcanoes of Mexico climbing Orizaba (18,500ft), Izta and Malinche successfully. He stays busy as the Senior Guide and Director for Outpost Wilderness Adventure (www.owa.com). His experience rigging climbing setups transferred well to rigging off the side of a building and he enjoys rigging occasionally with Blue Lapis Light aerial dance. He is an American Mountain Guides Association Apprentice Rock Guide and also a currently certified Wilderness First Responder. In the past James also volunteered on the Central Texas Climbing Committee (2009-2011 & 2019-2021), the Board of Directors for Advance Colorado and is currently the section chair for Texas for the American Alpine Club. He enjoys working with all people who are passionate about the outdoors, arts, and preserving natural spaces!

Matt Langbehn is a lighting director, filmmaker, climbing photographer, and FAA certified drone pilot with specialist skills in backcountry expeditions, rigging, and wilderness medicine. When not out working on something rad, they can be found either playing in the mountains, or training at home in Austin, TX.

Adam is a Warrior’s Way Trainer, AMGA Assistant Rock Guide, and AMGA SPI Certified. He has worked with BLL on a number of shows including Belonging, Part One for which the BLL rigging team received the Always a Safe Flight Award, a Special Citation from the Austin Critics Table for their rigging design and execution.

Rick Watson retired from UT after 30 years as a Research Associate at the Harry Ransom Center. He is a veteran rock climber and former owner and operator of rock climbing guide services. He loves family life with his wife and daughter and playing outside.

William wears many hats. His electronic music and interactive audio environments for dance have been presented in concerts across the country. He has appeared on stage as a multi-media performance artist, and offstage running sound for live music concerts. Meadows has worked as a composer and sound designer on projects by Deborah Hay, Forklift Danceworks, UT Dance Department, Contemporary Dance/Fort Worth, and Austin Shakespeare, and has worked with Sally Jacques and Blue Lapis Light since 1996. His work has been recognized by the Austin Critics Table Award for Best Sound Design in 2007 and 2010, and with numerous nominations for Best Original Composition, Best Sound Design, and Best Lighting Design.

Roxanne earned dance degrees from Kilgore College and the University of Texas at Austin. She is a former Kilgore College Rangerette Lieutenant and a Swingster (Elite jazz performance group). She is a faculty member of the Austin Community College Dance Department. She has toured & performed professionally with Sharir Dance Company, Andrea Beckham Collaborative Dance Company, Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company, and Blue Lapis Light. She danced in varied works by Yacov Sharir, Heywood “Woody” McGriff, Jose Bustamante, Ohad Naharin, David Dorfman, Doug Varone, Kathy Dunn Hamrick, Sally Jacques, and many more. She was the assistant choreographer in the movie Miss Congeniality with Sandra Bullock and most recently choreographed a dance scene for the HBO Series Love & Death with Elizabeth Olsen & Krysten Ritter. She is a dance instructor, choreographer, dance judge, and dance curriculum director for MA Dance based in Dallas, TX. She is on the planning and production committee for the Austin Dance Festival and the Director of the Austin Dance Festival Youth Edition. Roxy enjoys sharing her passion and love of dance with the universe.

Natch Nadjafi is an Austin-based artist, musician, and creative director working across music, visual design, and immersive experiences. With over 20 years of experience as a musician and performer, his practice is rooted in collaboration and multidisciplinary artistic expression. As co-founder and art director of KITCHEN TECHNO, he brings together music, visual identity, and creative direction to create cohesive experiences. His work is guided by a strong interest in atmosphere, movement, space, and the connections between different forms of art.

Lindsey started dancing classical ballet at 13 and continued for 6 years under the direction of David Alejandro Duran. After high school, she traveled abroad in Germany and China during a Discipleship Training School where she experienced native forms of dance. Upon moving to Austin, she began choreography and improv classes with Darla Johnson, earned her Certificate in American Sign Language from Austin Community College, and began to explore sewing and costume making.

After transferring to Texas State, she became a member of Merge Dance Company for the 2016-2017 season and performed with them in Trinidad for the Contemporary Choreographers’ Collective Dance Festival. She also joined Transient Dance Collective in 2016 and was the President from 2017-2018. Her dance films, Refine and Imprisoned, have both been selected for various film festivals. She graduated from Texas State in May 2018 with her BFA in Dance with an emphasis in Performance and Choreography. She continues her self- taught work as a seamstress and teaches dance in the Austin area.