Jackson Kettell likes to keep things light. If he were a dance step, he’d be small, buoyant jumps, or perhaps the fluid ease of floorwork—anything that carries a breezy rhythm and goes with the flow. His dancing, though grounded in technique, is touched by that same airiness, a reminder that artistry can be powerful without being heavy, that presence can be commanding in its stillness.
Originally from Tampa, Florida and now based in Norfolk, Virginia, Jackson began his training at Howard W. Blake High School and at Next Generation Ballet at the Patel Conservatory. He went on to earn his BFA in Dance Performance from Jacksonville University, before beginning his career at Ballet Theatre of Maryland and later moving to Ballet Virginia. He most recently completed the American Ballet Theater National Training Curriculum, proving that even as a professional, he remains a student of dance as a transformative art. His dancing reflects not only years of training but also the athleticism of a youth filled with football, soccer, basketball, and tennis—a body built for motion and endurance.
What first drew him to dance was simple: his parents put him in classes before he was old enough to object. He fell in love and never looked back. Today, his biggest inspiration is his wife, herself a professional ballerina who recently retired after a ten-year career. “She has never seen an obstacle she couldn’t overcome,” he says, and that resilience fuels his own.
In Vietnamerica: The Musical, Jackson has been struck most by the resilience of the Vietnamese people. “The resilience of the Vietnamese people after many atrocities shows itself within the culture,” he reflects. For him, the process is one of listening—absorbing the stories, bringing his own perspective and experiences into them, and honoring the community through empathy. The story has affirmed his belief that “power truly resides in the people, and our unity is our greatest strength.”
Rehearsal with the Vietnamerica cast has been a joy. Jackson describes his castmates as “easy, breezy, beautiful,” and recalls that it is almost impossible to pick a single favorite memory—because laughter erupts daily, even in the middle of rigorous work. His approach is simple: “Never take yourself too seriously.” That humor, paired with his discipline, makes him a light in the room and a steady presence in the process.
What Jackson hopes audiences take away is not only the beauty of the movement but the strength of the stillness—the moments when silence and pause carry as much weight as dance itself. If people remember one thing about his dancing, he hopes it’s that the ease on stage was earned: “I had to mess up a lot to make it look this good.” The process has inspired him to keep stepping out of his comfort zone, seeking new movement vocabulary, and expanding the language of his own body.
On September 7, 2025, at Capital One Hall in Tysons Corner, Jackson Kettell will bring that ease, that laughter, and that stillness to the stage. To watch him dance is to witness breath turned into movement, lightness grounded in resilience, and the joy of an artist who knows unity is our greatest strength.
Come breathe with Jackson—watch him on stage by securing your seat here: https://www.ticketsonsale.com/tickets/vietnamerica-capital-one-hall-tysons-9-7-2025-5818424