Instagram story viewer> @linesbyjacky> Posts

Jacky Kelsey

@linesbyjacky

4.3K

followers

2962

following

I am a puppeteer / performer / sewist / soft sculptor / maker of objects, based in Chicago 🖤 (they/them)

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Getting ahead on my halloween costume for the first time in my life and having a fantastic time doing so
.
#studioday #halloweencostume #costumeideas by @linesbyjacky

233

14

5 days ago

“So what do you do for work?” well it depends, but here’s some process footage of when I had butt and boob due by Thursday

#propmaking #studioday by @linesbyjacky

2k

51

19 days ago

Five completed harness sets for MATADORA ⚔️ Catch the LAST TWO SHOWS before they’re gone, tonight and tomorrow! We don’t bite :)

The making of these costume pieces has truly been a joy. I took care to design pieces that distort the body, play off of the unique character that each dancer brings to the piece, and stand up to the demands of physical theatre. I’m honored to collaborate with such skilled designers of sound, light, and movement.

MATADORA is a dance and physical theatre piece devised and choreographed by INSÉKTA. Snag tickets through her bio. @houseofinsekta

Fri 9/25 and Sat 9/26 at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago. @dancecenterpresents @latinotheater

Dancers: Sophie Daker @sophie.daker | Xenia Mansour Muñiz @y3nya | CJ Triche @_cjthestar | J Stephens @jstephens.7 | Gabriela Chauta @gabriela_chauta
Lighting Designer: Ale Favila
Sound Designers: Hugo Flores García @hugofloresgarcia and Samuel Osorio
Costume Designer: Jacky Kelsey @linesbyjacky

#chicagodance #chicagotheatre #costumedesigner #runway taken in The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago by @linesbyjacky

187

14

21 days ago

I’m constructing five body harnesses for MATADORA ⚔️ an aggressive, sexy and satirical work of contemporary dance and physical theatre. While designing these pieces, I thought about how suppressed rage mutates, constricts, and spills out the seams of the body; think tight pantyhose, mosquito bites, muscles, papules, bandages, and the subversive armor of bondage.

If you want to see the completed sets onstage, the limited premiere is only TWO WEEKS AWAY (Thurs 9/24, Fri 9/25, and Sat 9/26) at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago. Snag tickets through INSÉKTA’s bio link 🖤

🖤 Devised and choreographed by INSÉKTA @houseofinsekta
🖤 Dancers: @sophie.daker @y3nya @_cjthestar @jstephens.7 @gabriela_chauta

#chicagotheatre #chicagodance #contemporarydance #physicaltheatre #costuming by @linesbyjacky

278

27

a month ago

another dimension of an exciting collaboration is the feedback loop that happens between my visions and the craftsmanship of the artist, in this case puppetear and costume extraordinaire @linesbyjacky

their ability to watch the dancers, be mindful of the spaces in which the body needs support or freedom and their rooted designs makes my visions of the “skin” for las matadoras even better.

get excited folxs cause Jacky’s craftsmanship, attention to detail, wit and vision are taking this performance to a different level

⚔️

in the @pinterest vortex getting inspired pt. 1

Sketches of Sophie + J by Jacky Kelsey

there is something about being asphyxiated, by clothes, shoes and ideologies ~

Sketches of CJ + Xenia + Gabriela by Jacky Kelsey

02 Abril 2025 — primeros sketches del vestuario ó ‘piel’ by @linesbyjacky

74

7

a month ago

(A break from puppets to dig into some zine-making. Special thanks to @tinytempestfarm for letting me use their kitchen table as a studio for a week while I farm-sat, haha)

As I take steps toward going on HRT and research how it might shift my body and attraction, I’ve reflected on all of the phases of identity that I’ve sifted through since childhood. Sometimes identity is about discovering something that was true all along, and sometimes it’s about noticing changes and honoring the impulse to walk toward what feels like home now.
.
.
.
#zineart #queerpoetry #poetryzine #artbook #queerart by @linesbyjacky

156

16

3 months ago

Opening tomorrow: “Moon Studies” by Jan Bartoszek, as part of NEXUS, a premiere of three dances 🌒🌓🌔 I’m honored to have designed objects and costumes for this piece.

Tickets available from @hedwigdances
Student discounts available!

Fri April 24th at 7:30pm
Sat April 25th at 7:30pm
Sun April 26th at 2pm

Ruth Page Center, 1016 N. Dearborn, Chicago IL

#chicagodance #chicagoartevents #costumedesign #hedwigdances #physicaltheatre by @linesbyjacky

192

12

6 months ago

The makings of a hind leg for a tiger puppet
#softsculpture #puppetry by @linesbyjacky

23k

41

6 months ago

Before handing off the Thea costume I must test the drama
.
#costuming #sewing #fashion by @linesbyjacky

436

19

6 months ago

Another studio day
#costuming #hedwigdanceschicago by @linesbyjacky

369

7

6 months ago

SEASON 41 COLLABORATORS - Jacky Kelsey

We are thrilled to be in collaboration with Jacky Kelsey once again for our upcoming show of NEXUS. Recently highlighted in the New York Times for their outstanding puppetry performance work in KT Shivak’s Rhynoceron, we couldn’t be more excited to make work with Jacky’s creations and informed guidance. From puppets to costumes, objects and everything in between, Jacky is incredible at creating vital components to the worlds we dream of building and sharing with our audience.

ABOUT JACKY-

Jacky Kelsey is a soft sculptor, puppeteer, and costume designer based in Chicago. Motivated by puppetry’s ability to span every art form through collaborative play, they design for dance and object theatre in addition to productions of puppetry. Their sculptural work deals with themes of body and queer identity.

Notable design contributions can be seen in META | MOR | PHOS (Hedwig Dances and Bauhaus Dessau), Kayfabe (Josh Rice Projects), Little Fears (Ashwaty Chennat, Steppenwolf Lookout Project), and Left Hand of Darkness (Untitled Theatre Company No. 61, Yara Arts Group). They performed and designed puppets for Exquisite Corpse 2023 and 2024 (Roughhouse Theatre), Ghosts | Horizon (Auricle Project), and Fidget (Chicago Puppet Lab 2023). by @linesbyjacky

3

16

7 months ago

Playtime with the new screen! Im not using a proper light but I enjoy the hazy diffused look it gives, like going in and out of fog. I can’t wait to see what it feels like in the dance studio
.
#shadowpuppets by @linesbyjacky

104

4

8 months ago