A Chicago native, Jacob Brooks El began his ballet studies at the Chicago Academy of the Arts under Shell Benjamin, Randy Duncan, Guillermo Leyva, and the late Anna Paskevska. In 2006-08, he attended Columbia College Chicago's modern dance program. Brooks has been a featured performer and guest artist with The Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, San Diego Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Madison Ballet, Les Ballet Grandiva, Ballet Chicago, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Luna Negra Dance Theater, and Joffrey Ballet. He is a recipient of the Afro- Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics Dance Award from the NAACP.
