The Ailey School

Jacob Blank began his dance training in Maryland at the age of three at Carroll County Dance Center & Ballet Conservatory where he received training in ballet, Graham and Limón-based modern, tap, jazz, and hip-hop.  Jacob has studied ballroom dance from the age of ten and, along with his dance partner, Jacob is nationally ranked. Jacob has also competed in the Youth America Grand Prix, placing 3rd in the junior contemporary category in 2015. As a student at The Ailey School, Jacob has performed in works by Pedro Ruiz, Darshan Singh Bhuller, and Helen Simoneau. In 2019 Jacob was asked to perform “Rocka My Soul” from Alvin Ailey’s Revelations in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and also performed at New York City Center alongside the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) for the school’s anniversary performance. Recently, Jacob was given the honor of performing at Lincoln Center, dancing the lead role in Elisa Clark’s re-staging of Robert Battle’s Awakening, Battle’s first work after becoming Artistic Director of AAADT.  Jacob is a graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, where he double majored in dance and mathematics.  Since January 2022, Jacob has been a member of Alison Cook Beatty Dance.