As we approach the end of our summer programs, Dancing Arts Center is thrilled to spotlight a very special member of our DAC family: American Ballet Theater company member Jacob Clerico! Jacob has returned to Dancing Arts Center for the first two weeks of August as guest faculty for our second annual Open/Adult Ballet Summer Intensive. Alongside DAC co-directors Gregg Saulnier and Patrick Notaro, for these two weeks Jacob is teaching nightly class and repertoire for a dedicated group of ballet students who range in age from 13 to 79.
Lending his experience and expertise in this context is a new chapter in Jacob’s long relationship with Dancing Arts Center. Having trained at DAC for 13 years before moving to the American Ballet Theater (ABT) Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in 2015, joining the ABT Studio Company in 2017, becoming an apprentice to the main Company in 2018, and joining the corps de ballet in 2019, Jacob’s years at DAC prepared him physically as well as mentally and emotionally for his professional career. “DAC is where I trained my whole life before moving to New York City, I learned everything there! Obviously, I got my foundational knowledge of ballet and dance, but I also developed a strong sense of work ethic and dedication,” said Jacob. “I feel that Mr. Patrick and Mr. Gregg, along with all the teachers I learned from along the way at DAC, really instilled an appreciation for hard work and a desire to push myself for myself. That is something I value greatly and carry with me every day at work, and it’s equally important as the physical preparation!”
As former professional dancers with 10 years as co-directors of Dancing Arts Center, Mr. Gregg and Mr. Patrick are very aware of the challenges young dancers face when preparing for a career. “It has been an incredible privilege to be part of Jacob’s amazing journey,” they said. “Of course, as two of his teachers, having a student excel to the ranks of American Ballet Theater is a dream come true for us and the school. However, it cannot be overstated that nurturing a talented young artist takes more than good training. Jacob has a loving family and has been influenced by many other teachers and people who knew he was special.” As Jacob’s career has progressed, he’s discovered how important it is to stay self-motivated to continue improving and developing, and his effort to maintain a strong relationship with the DAC community stems from his appreciation of the care and attention he received from his instructors. “I owe them everything! When I was growing up, I never thought I could achieve something even close to the career I’ve had thus far. But having teachers that push you, support you, and believe in you makes all the difference,” said Jacob. “It makes ballet fun, and that’s what keeps me going even when things are difficult. I love saying ‘I love my job’ as much as I can, because I do!”
“Watching Jacob teach in the evening adult intensive has been a ‘full circle’ moment for us and we couldn’t be prouder of him and the entire DAC community,” said Mr. Gregg. Jacob has approached his teaching as he would approach giving himself class: working on fundamentals of ballet technique at barre, and then incorporating more movement and artistry in the center. “I’m so looking forward to getting one more week teaching and rehearsing with the awesome Adult class!” he said. “Part of the joy of ballet is the physical rigor of the art form, and I genuinely think that it feels amazing to work your body so precisely and thoughtfully at something so challenging.” Jacob’s teaching style demonstrates his deep understanding of why dancers of any age or skill level love ballet and are willing to devote their time and effort to it. “More than a skillful workout, ballet is a beautiful means of physical expression! I like my classes to be as much about looking and feeling artistically present as they are about using your muscles.” But the repertoire element of the intensive program – which this year is excerpts from Don Quixote and Les Sylphides – is particularly important for adult and recreational dancers, who rarely get the opportunity to learn choreography and rehearse in this way. “Rehearsals are a chance to explore how we as dancers can make any dance something special to watch, feel, and enjoy,” said Jacob.
Dancing Arts Center and its students would like to thank Jacob sincerely not only for devoting so much of his time to us these two weeks, but also for doing so with professionalism and thoughtfulness. We look forward to watching Jacob progress through his professional career, while Jacob intends to stay in touch with his roots. “I certainly hope to continue dancing and performing as much as I can for as long as I can,” he said, “but I’m equally excited to keep coming back to DAC on my time off to see the school and its students (of all ages!) continue to grow.”
For more about Jacob, read his full bio on the ABT website and keep up with him on Instagram at @jacobclerico!