Photo by Dustin Chambers.
why not?
Jacqui Hinkson is a movement and visual artist, self-proclaimed mad scientist, arts administrator, and the founder and artistic director of Atlanta-based dance company, EXCAVATE BODY.
visual artist
Jacqui has been making art in various mediums from a young age. As a teen, she took to her basement, set up an easel, and spent countless hours painting large-scale portraits. While she had the eye and ability for realism, she rejected the structure and perfectionistic quality, and opted for more abstract and experimental approaches, such as putting a painting outside on the patio while it rained—because why not!?
Jacqui’s love for art-making took her to Savannah, Georgia where she studied at the Savannah College of Art & Design. She deepened her practices in digital and fine arts within classes such as color theory, advertising, still-life drawing and more.
Jacqui continues investing in her visual art practices, and is committed to weaving art-making into her daily practice in smaller ways, such as daily sketches. Additionally, she finds joy in doing graphic design and experimental video work for her dance company, EXCAVATE BODY, and has at least one larger-scale painting in progress at all times.
To view a selection of some of Jacqui’s works, see Still Art & Moving Art.
movement artist
Photo by Dustin Chambers.
Jacqui followed an unconventional path which somewhat unexpectedly led her to becoming a dancer. Growing up, she partook in various sports and activities including but not limited to: soccer, track & field, diving, swimming, gymnastics, and a sprinkle of dance. She took up dance training on and off from early childhood to her teen years, but repeatedly quit as she struggled with the structure of the classes (primarily ballet).
Shortly after attending the Savannah College of Art & Design, she fell in love with yoga at a local studio and received her 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training certification. Feeling somewhat limited in movement by the rectangular surface of a yoga mat, her interest for dance was reignited, and she began taking dance classes again.
Upon making the move to Atlanta in 2020, she found a pre-professional dance training program, ImmerseATL, and was selected as a movement artist for the 2020-2021 season. During 8 rigorous months of training and expanding both as a dancer and artist, she had the pleasure of learning from and performing works by Sarah Hillmer, Anna Bracewell, and George Staib.
Jacqui’s enthuasiam for new experiences and ways of moving took her to Oriantheatre’s Paris Summer Academy in 2022 where she had the privilege of learning and performing works by various international choreographers and makers over the course of an intensive month-long stay.
Through her winding path to becoming a dancer, Jacqui leans into her varied movement history and recognizes that each practice she’s trained in allows her to access unique movement qualities within her personal practice and choreographic lens. Jacqui has performed for various Atlanta-based choreographers, including in her own work under EXCAVATE BODY. Similar to her relationship with visual art, she is currently interested in finding dance in a personal, daily practice, and not confining it only to when one is on stage, or in process for a work that’s to be on stage.
choreographer & artistic director
Photo (left) by Joey Cragnole.
How did we get here? A series of why not’s! Jacqui’s keen creative impulses and unyielding desire to materialize them led her to taking on her first evening-length work, AVALANCHE, which premiered at Windmill Arts in 2023. During the curtain call, Jacqui decided that AVALANCHE would mark the beginning of what would be her long-term project, EXCAVATE BODY, announcing then and there its official founding as a dance company. Since its creation, EXCAVATE BODY has premiered two evening-length works, AVALANCHE (2023) and CRASH TEST (2024), and gained a distinguished spot as a resident company at Windmill Arts. EXCAVATE BODY is entering its third season under Hinkson with a new work slated to premiere in December 2025.
Photo (above) by Carly Wynans.
Jacqui considers EXCAVATE BODY a product of circumstance and necessity—effectively creating more space for dance artists and staged works in the Atlanta arts’ scene. Jacqui is amused by the spontaneity, grit, and trust that leading a dance company presents and looks forward to witnessing the way the company, and work, evolves over the years.
PRESS
Jacqui Hinkson’s ‘Crash Test’ reflects society at a boiling point
arts administrator
Jacqui is currently the Operations Manager for a vibrant dance school of 600+ (and growing!) students ranging from 18 months to 80 years! In this role, Jacqui has the privilege of leading a tight-knit administrative team, coordinating annual programming, managing large-scale projects, and flexing her innate organizational abilities. Jacqui finds this job to be her “perfect-fit” in that it allows her to tap into her director-like qualities, utilize creative problem solving skills on the daily, and choreograph a team to success season after season! By leading an organization that bolsters a love for dance and deep reverence for the arts, Jacqui finds great joy in directly contributing to the present and future of the Atlanta arts’ community.
self-proclaimed mad scientist
Guided by why not? and a rejection of what-is, Jacqui approaches her artistic work with experimental instinct—following impulse after impulse and refining from there. A reformed black-and-white-thinker, Jacqui now embraces the unknown and finds comfort in the chaos, which are ever-present themes in her creative process and product. She enjoys “making things up”, devising unconventional methods, and conducting processes with enshrouded ends—allowing resolutions to be unbeknownst to even her, and finding much delight in that mystery.
Jacqui’s approach to making draws a line to her personal beliefs which often surface in her staged works: the complexity of human nature, the inevitability of change and unstoppable forces, the compulsion to make meaning, and the thrilling absurdity of being here!