Rasta Thomas
ballet

Rasta Thomas studied martial arts before training in ballet. At the age of 13 he became the youngest person ever to receive the Jury Prize at the Paris International Dance Competition. Already a seasoned performer despite being a minor, he was given a special dispensation, and was permitted to perform in the senior division of the USA International Ballet Competition (USAIBC). Thomas won the gold medal, and at 16 years old became the youngest to win in the senior division, beating Mikhail Baryshnikov's previous record age of 18. Upon returning to the US, he went to Los Angeles to begin his commercial career: he hired an agent, danced in a GAP commercial and had a solo in the Debbie-Allen choreographed for the Academy Awards. Thomas has appeared as a guest artist with such companies as: Dance Theater of Harlem, Washington Ballet, City Dance, Baryshnikov’s White Oak Dance Company, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Loundin Ballet, Orlando Ballet, K Ballet, Alonzo King’s Lines Contemporary Ballet Company, Complexions, DanceBrazil, Rafael Amargo Dance Company, Universal Ballet, Danza Contemporanea de Cuba, American Ballet Theater, Kirov Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Le Jeune Ballet de France, Joffrey Ballet, Maryland Youth Ballet, Arlington Dance Theater, Tulsa Ballet Theater, Victor Ullate, National Ballet of China, Hartford Ballet, Inoue Ballet, Philadanco, Imperial Russian Ballet.

He debuted on Broadway as the lead character Eddie in the hit musical Movin' Out and went on to work with the Movin' Out touring company.

Thomas founded the Bad Boys of Dance company (BBD). BBD selected dancers with strong technical backgrounds from competitions, Broadway, Juliard etc. Their debut performance was at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.

Rasta Thomas’ “Rock the Ballet” was created to showcase BBD. They made their international debut at the St. Pauli theater in Hamburg, Germany. In this show BBD incorporated jazz, hip hop, tap and gymnastics into ballet to some of today’s most popular songs. Over the years BBD featured alumni of So You Think You Can Dance(including Craig DeRosa, Nick Lazzarini and Danny Tidwell).

 Today he continues to share his art and knowledge as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, producer and director.