Joe de Jesus – Dentist By Day, Dancer By Night

olympia nutcracker
Dr. de Jesus goofs around back stage with his daughter, Naomi, as a Gypsy.
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By Emily McMason

washington orthopaedic centerDr. Joe de Jesus is Olympia’s own Clark Kent. He’s got the glasses. He’s got the dark hair. He’s got a respectable daytime job. He wears a disguise (well, in his case, a costume). But only seasonally. You, and especially your children, may know him as Dr. de Jesus, local orthodontist. What you may not know, is that de Jesus has a very busy schedule away from the office.

Every weekend, September through December, he is busy rehearsing for the ballet. For four years, de Jesus has been a part of Studio West Dance Theatre’s production of the holiday classic The Nutcracker.

olympia nutcracker
The de Jesus family of dancers includes Eliana, Mary, Joe and Naomi who all perform in the Studio West production of The Nutcracker.

This year, he is reprising his role as Herr Stahlbaum, Clara’s father and host of the Christmas Eve party that dominates the opening of the first act of the ballet. A role that, in many ways, doesn’t take much practice.

As the father of three and an orthodontist, de Jesus is used to interacting with kids. It was, in fact, due to his daughters’ interest in dancing that he began participating in The Nutcracker. “In 2011 Naomi [one of his daughters] was a junior snow, baker and Russian. I was a party parent in one of the casts.” De Jesus continues tongue and cheek. “I owe my meteoric rise to principal dancer to my daughters’ critical instructions on ‘how not to embarrass us.’”

More seriously, it is the chance to be with his daughters year after year that brings him back to the ballet. “I wanted to be with my daughters during formative experiences. I did not produce volleyball or basketball-playing kids, my personal sports experiences, so I joined them in the endeavors they love. I really enjoy being with my daughters in rehearsals every weekend, and backstage. Creating our mutual experiential memories is way better than commercialism in this season.”

olympia nutcracker
Dr. de Jesus goofs around back stage with his daughter, Naomi, as a Gypsy.

Before joining his daughters on stage, de Jesus’ dance training was, well, eclectic. “The only dancing I did before was break-dancing with friends in high school every day after school, club hopping in San Francisco for the four years of dental school, ballroom lessons as wedding prep, and two quarters of ballet before [our] children [were born].” Now, in addition to The Nutcracker, he performs as part of the “Dentists on Broadway” show for the Olympia Union Gospel Mission’s Dental Clinic.

De Jesus’ impact is felt not just by his own children, but by the other dancers as well. Studio West co-owner and director Stephanie Wood commented on this connection he makes with others. “Joe is a treasured part of Studio West’s Nutcracker and is a fabulous Herr Stahlbaum,” says Wood.  “In the many years I have been setting the Nutcracker, I must say he brings something special to my rehearsal. He is funny but serious, charismatic yet playful and I know the rest of the Nutcracker cast feels his genuine spirit as well.”

From his side of things? “Part of the fun has also come from being a Nutcracker veteran, and encouraging more comfortable and confident performances from new cast members. Sharing in the camaraderie of all these great folks who perform is heady stuff,” comments de Jesus.

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Joe de Jesus poses with his two daughters, Eliana as a lamb and Naomi as a Spanish dancer, during a previous Nutcracker performance.

What are de Jesus’ favorite on-stage moments that the audience should be watching for during the party scene in Act I? “I’d prefer that no one was watching for me, particularly. I’d rather be a non-show-stealing addition to creating the ambiance of the scene. If there are highlights, they would be watching to see how well I catch my stage son as he capers across the stage, seeing if I drop my stage wife in any of the dips, and checking to see if my affection for my Clara and Fritz (daughter and son on stage) resonates.”

For de Jesus, the eclectic love of dancing continues in his future plans. “I enjoy bar/bat-mitzvah parties because 13 year-olds pick great dance-party music,” he says.  “I’d like to get back into ballroom dancing. It takes a lot more confidence in one’s skill than freestyle.”

As for his participation in The Nutcracker? “I’ll continue until my daughters are done, or alternately, my grandkids are (none available yet).

If you’d like to catch Dr. de Jesus in his role as Herr Stahlbaum this year, you can see him on stage December 11 – 14 at the Minnaert Center for the Arts on the South Puget Sound Community College campus.

Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 360-753-8586 and asking for the Studio West production of The Nutcracker.

 

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