Zachary Manske

Biography

Zach Manske grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota training in various styles and competing in local and national competitions. He played the role of “Billy Elliot” in the Broadway national tour of Billy Elliot the Musical. Manske also attended Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists where he trained in ballet, modern, jazz, composition, and other forms. He guested with Minnesota Dance Theater in many performances, including Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy and Carmina Burana from 2014 to 2017. Manske graduated with a BFA in Dance from the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance under the direction of Jodie Gates in 2021. He performed works by masters such as William Forsythe, George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, and more. During his time at USC, Manske had the opportunity to guest with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet in The Nutcracker. After graduation, Manske joined the Grand Rapids Ballet as a company dancer for their 2021-2022 season under the direction of James Sofranko. He also enjoys choreographing and most recently debuted Shakespeare in Love at Grand Rapids Ballet’s Jumpstart program in 2022. This is his first season with The Joffrey Ballet.