James "JJ" Jones was born in Kansas City, Missouri and has been deaf since birth, but hears some 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 for the Deaf), Franciso Harris (Marcel Marceau's
roommate) and many other mime artists. "JJ" improved his mime skills by observing the famous mime, Marcel Marceau. "JJ"
fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams by meeting his role models Red Skelton and Marcel Marceau in person.
After graduating from N.T.I.D., "JJ" took more mime courses at Mimewock in Kansas City.
He studied under David Naster before David became a local and national standup comedian.
"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 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.
