Maria Jacobs, From Ocala, Florida, is starting her 12th season of dancing with Dennis Nahat and Ballet San Jose.

Ms. Jacobs began her training with her mother and studied at The Joffrey School, School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Bolshoi Academy in Vail, Colorado.

During her tenure with Ballet San Jose, Ms. Jacobs has danced the roles of Maria and Tzarina for the last 10 years in Dennis Nahat's The Nutcracker, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and Juliet in Romeo & Juliet. Most recently, the title role of "The Firebird" was created for her by Dennis Nahat in his version of The Firebird, and Giselle in Giselle.

Prior roles include Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mendelssohn Symphony, Four Temperaments and Theme and Variations, Coppelia andLes Sylphides.

Ms. Jacobs made her televison debut in 1997 appearing in Dennis Nahat's Blue Suede Shoes in and many other Dennis Nahat choreographed ballets.

Maria has also been an international guest artist performing Swanilda in Copellia in both Osaka, Japan and Seoul, Korea. Maria hopes to continue her education dancing and academically as well.