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JJ in Paris, France
September 2011 and 2012
JJ in Paris, France, where he performed for the 1st World of Mime - A Tribute to Marcel Marceau.
JJ in Rochester, New York
1977
It was at National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) in Rochester, New York where JJ started as professional mime artist in 1977.
JJ uses mime techniques as well as multimedia to perform and educate. While JJ's performances are top-notch, he also gives workshops that teach expression and the art of mime as well as deaf culture. He performs skits to music that are enjoyed by deaf and hearing alike. His varying pieces are funny as well as informative about the history of deaf culture. He also incorporates street mime, improvisation and audience participation to create a fun and wonderful show that is not forgotten.
Famous Deaf and Hard of Hearing People
James "JJ" Jones was born in Kansas City, Missouri and has been deaf since birth, but can partially hear with his hearing aid.
He first discovered "pantomime" at an early age by watching the Red Skelton Show, which was not telecaptioned (cc) at that time. "JJ"
first performed mime in school around the age of 10.
"JJ" learned more mime just before he graduated from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (N.T.I.D.) in Rochester, NY. While there, he attended many mime workshops by Claude Kipnis, Keith Berger, Dimitri, Bernard Bragg (from the National Theatre of the Deaf), Francisco Reynders (Marcel Marceau's classmate) and many other mime artists. "JJ" improved his mime skills by observing the famous mime artist, Marcel Marceau. "JJ" fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams by meeting his role models Red Skelton and Marcel Marceau in person. "JJ" performs mime programs ranging from street mime to multimedia presentations. He also gives mime workshops for schools and colleges. "JJ" has performed all over the USA at many schools, State Fairs, Deaf events such as Deaf Expos, Deaf Celebration, Deaf Awareness Day, and Deaf Way II (the International Deaf Conference in Washington D.C. in 2002). JJ has also begun to perform internationally, having recently performed at the first annual World of Mime in Paris, France honoring Marcel Marceau, and at the World Deaf Day in Bordeaux, France. (see photos under 'International', in Photo Gallery) "JJ" has been a mime instructor at Maple Woods Community College for the Interpreter Training Program in North Kansas City, Missouri for over 15 years. He loves to teach mime to children and student interpreters. |
