Ryan Rankine is a contemporary dancer and the son of Jamel Gaines, founder and artistic director of Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn. Despite leaving LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts to compete in season 2 of So You Think You Can Dance, he graduated with the support of Timothy Bishop and his father. Ryan began dancing at the age of eight and has trained at prestigious institutions such as Dance Theatre of Harlem, The Ailey School, San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, The Juilliard School, and SUNY Purchase College. He also trained and performed with Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn.

Ryan has performed with Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Forces of Nature. His credits include The Wiz at City Center in New York, the 2008 Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and VH1 Divas 2009. In 2005, he performed in the Inside/Out Series at Jacob's Pillow in Massachusetts, and in 2006, he competed on So You Think You Can Dance season 2, where he was a top 7 finalist. In 2007, he performed a solo in Remembering... by the Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn, choreographed by Jamel Gaines. He also performed at the National Dance Week-NYC 2008 Performance Showcase.