Jacob started swing dancing in 2003 and has been hooked ever since.
He became serious about Balboa in 2005 and began traveling to various events and competitions not much later. His first love is social dancing but he also competes as a chance to push himself. As a teacher he enjoys using a mix of humorous (in his opinion) analogies and serious instruction to create a fun and exciting learning environment.
Jacob has taught at numerous national and international events. Some of his awards include 1st place at All Balboa Weekend in 2014, 1st place in the International Balboa Championships in 2011 (Balboa Rendezvous), 1st place in the Balboa division of the National Jitterbug Championships in 2014 and 1st place at the Eastern Balboa Championships in 2013.