Penny Jacobus: Technically & Artistically Savvy
These days, children are asked what they want to be when they grow up and are told they have the option to be whatever their little hearts desire. In middle school, Penny Jacobus wanted to be an astronaut and in high school she thought she would make a terrific veterinarian. At the end of her schooling, she became a sought-after lighting designer for one of the world’s most renowned dance companies, the New York City Ballet. But we all know it’s not the title on our business cards, headshots or nametags that makes us who we are, but rather the accumulation of all of the steps—and leaps—we take to make it to the present.
It has been portrayed in movies, television and books over and over: A small town girl moves to the big city. Considered a daunting endeavor for some, it was just one exciting step for Jacobus. In grade school she excelled in math and reading; looking back, she characterizes herself as a “nerd.” Never a dancer, she describes herself as being clumsy and even a little awkward. It was her sister that was the dancer of the family. Jacobus tried her luck at gymnastics, but an injury drove her to pursue a new after school activity – theatre. A work-study program in college allowed her to hone in on her skills and a New York City lighting internship sent her packing.
She now lights some of the most talented performing artists in the world. Her experience in lighting includes opera, but she prefers the ballet. She says that where she is today “just happened.” Maybe we’re not supposed to have an answer to that dreaded question, - What do you want to be when you grow up? - after all!
Throughout her career, Jacobus has mastered the art of utilizing her exposure to varying circumstances. She believes creativity is not simply an innate trait nor is it solely a skill that can be taught, but rather it is “a little of both”. She accredits imagination as her key to success, and her rational, realistic side to keeping her productive and in check.
Her workflow consists of speaking with the choreographer first, listening to the movement of the dancers, and “trusting the process”. She says her craft doesn’t have to be literal or specific; it’s a “feeling”. In considering herself a technician versus an artist, she says it depends on the job she is doing.
When recreating a classic work she tends to be more of a technician, but when lighting for a brand-new contemporary work, she gets creative. When she lights traditional ballets she often has to recreate a look that has already been set. She describes this kind of lighting as “nice and even,” illuminating the face of every dancer on stage. With contemporary ballet, she describes the lighting to be more dynamic -- the goal being to show off more contour and shape.
Whether Jacobus is skillfully lighting classical works, or artfully lighting contemporary works, she has learned to adapt. Tapping into her technical knowledge of lights or her artistic mindset as a designer, she has been able to identify her favorite part of doing what she does: it is the personal connection she feels during tech week, the feeling of making something and being there in the moment.
She enjoys both a slower pace while she visits her family outside of the city as well as busily multitasking in New York. But, Jacobus is most “at home” in an empty performance space where the dancers and she are doing what they are masters at -- creating something great, and allowing it to “just happen.”
"Symphony in C", a classic Balanchine ballet that Penny did the lighting for.
Photo by Paul Kolnik