Biography

Published in 2008

Recognised in his teens as a gifted artist, Jason Akira Somma, 28, merges dance and visual arts in an imaginative way that pushes out boundaries. The American dancer-choreographer-film-maker-photographer came to New York in 2002 with a fine arts degree in dance and choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University, and has since earned a reputation as a prodigious talent.

“His unique and extensive background in both visual arts and dance gives him an edge that both fields lack,” says Marc Balet, former editor of Interview magazine.

Following his “big break” with famed choreographer Bill T. Jones, Somma has performed at iconic New York venues, BAM and the Dance Theater Workshop. His wide-ranging work includes a dance-themed video broadcast on the Sundance Channel and a recently commissioned film of PARADIGM, a troupe of veteran dancers, which he will direct and choreograph.

Somma and Jirí Kylián plan to collaborate on a dance creation celebrating Nederlands Dans Theater’s 50th anniversary.