Jessica Harston Thompson joined Ballet West in 1994 and was promoted to principal dancer in 1999. Principal roles included the title role in Birgit Culbergs's Miss Julie, Sanquinic in George Balanchines the Four Temperments, the Sylph in Peter Schaufuss' La Slyphide, Odette/Odile in Jonas Kage's Swan Lake, Princess Aurora in Kage's Sleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum Fairy in William Christensen's The Nutcracker as well as the Fairy Godmother and Winter Fairy in Ben Stevenson's Cinderella. Jessica has also been featured in principal roles in the Pas de Deux from Don Quixote, Hans van Manen's Polish Pieces and Black Cake, and Balanchine's Stravinsky Violin Concerto.

Jessica retired from Ballet West in 2004 and continues to teach and choreograph. She is married to R. Scott Thompson and they have two daughters, Eva Bell and Marli Jane.