Dance Alive National Ballet welcomes Jake Allison as Ballet Master

Press release from Dance Alive National Ballet

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – DANB Artistic Director Kim Tuttle recently announced the appointment of Jake Allison as Ballet Master. Mr. Allison is an American ballet teacher, coach, and repetiteur. He trained at the Academy of First State Ballet Theatre under Pasha and Kristina Kambalov and danced as a principal dancer with First State Ballet Theatre, dancing many of the lead roles of the classical repertoire, including Albrecht in Giselle, Desiré in The Sleeping Beauty, Espada in Don Quixote, and Toreador in Alonso’s Carmen, among others. 

After retiring from dancing, Mr. Allison became Artistic Director of Belfast Ballet in Belfast, Northern Ireland. There, he grew the organization into Ireland’s leading ballet training program, presented full-length ballets starring students and guest professionals, and guided dancers to professional careers at some of Europe’s leading ballet companies. He also coached students who won top placements and scholarships at YAGP Europe semifinals and competed in the 2024 YAGP finals in New York.

In 2026, Mr. Allison earned his Bachelor’s degree in Classical Ballet Teaching at the Dutch National Ballet Academy, studying under Grigori Tchicherine, Emanouela Merdjanova, and Simona Ferrazza, and he is looking forward to bringing his broad experience in teaching and coaching classical ballet to Dance Alive National Ballet and the Pofahl Studios.

DANB is delighted to have the talents of Mr. Allison utilized both with the Company and the Resident School, Pofahl Studios.