Billy started his professional career as a principal with the Amy Marshall Dance Company before joining Les Ballets Grandiva. His credits include; principal guest artist with Mobile Ballet, CoDa 21 of San Juan, Catherine Gallant Dance, Atlantic City Ballet, Northwest Florida Ballet, Ajkun Ballet Theatre, the East Village Dance Project, Northeastern Ballet Theatre, isadoraNOW, Ballet Mink Colbert, and many others. He is a frequent collaborator with Project In Motion and has been commissioned to stage several of his works on their company. Billy is original creator, writer, producer, choreographer and performer of "the intimacies project" with dancer Jordan Marinov, filmmaker Bill Hayward and late Musician/ Playwright Anna Elman. In 2016 he founded Sheep Meadow Dance Theatre for which he is Artistic Director. Billy has taught at Peridance, Rioult Dance Center, the Jakarta Intercultural School, the National School in Tirana, Albania, Ball State University, Wright State University, Gibney Dance, Northwest Florida Ballet, Logrea Dance Academy, and others.
Blanken uses a mindful approach to ballet technique with a focus on body awareness, kinesthetic learning, musicality and movement dynamics. He nurtures specific ballet qualities including classicism, aplomb, and use of epaulement to create resilience suitable for recreational to professional dancers. The class is thorough but uncomplicated with emphasis on creating efficient movement patterns.

Other inspirational teachers include Winthrop Corey, Francesca Corkle, Bill Evans, Gary Geis, Graciella Kozak, John Magnus, Antoinette Peloso and Alexandre Proia.