About Michael

Michael Blake holds an MFA in dance from Purchase College, and a 2010 Bessie Award for Dance and Performance. He began his dance career in the Murray Louis Dance Company where he danced from 1982-1984. In 1985, Michael moved to Osaka, Japan to become the manager of Studio Dancin’. In 1986 he joined the Jose Limon Dance Company, dancing principal roles until 1991. Michael danced with Donald Byrd/The Group from 1991-1998. He has also danced with PARADIGM Dance, Joyce Trisler Danscompany, and Shapiro and Smith. He appeared in Vinnette Carroll’s, What You Gonna Name That Pretty Little Baby? choreographed by Talley Beatty. He was a singer/dancer at the Supper Club, NYC. Performed in a national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and was in the Public Theater’s rock-musical, Lenny and the Heartbreakers. He toured with Cab Calloway in Cab Calloway’s Cotton Club Review and danced in the films The Adventures of Cri Cri (Murray Louis/Alwin Nikolais), and Unsettled Dreams (Donald Byrd). He has taught numerous workshops both nationally and internationally. Michael was Artistic Director of the Jazz and Contemporary Trainee Program at the Joffrey Ballet School from 2011-2017. He currently performs with Netta Yerushalmy in Paramodernities #5 (Fosse), and is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Ithaca College. Michael is a proud member of the Actor’s Equity Association.