Meet the Choreographer: Kirven Douthit-Boyd’s Choreography Premieres at Saint Louis Dance Theatre
A Fall Series Preview for Behind the Curtains
Why This New Work, Why Now
Artistic Director of Saint Louis Dance Theatre, Kirven Douthit-Boyd has spent the past three years shaping the company’s bold new chapter—from the rebrand that placed St. Louis squarely in the national dance conversation, to collaborations with Jazz St. Louis and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. But fall 2025 marks a deeply personal milestone: his newest world premiere for STLDT’s Fall Series.
This new work is both urgent and uplifting. In a world that feels heavy with global upheaval, Douthit-Boyd began by asking what it means to find community through art. “I wanted the work to speak to this moment, but not to be too heavy,” he says. “I wanted it to give the dancers something rich to bite into and for the audience to leave with a sense of hope.”
Works Choreographed for STLDT
Photography by Pratt + Kreidich
Who He Is (a short history)
Born in Boston, Douthit-Boyd trained at the Boston Arts Academy and The Ailey School before joining Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, where he performed as a principal dancer for more than a decade. In 2015, he moved to St. Louis to become Co-Artistic Director of Dance at COCA. In 2022, he was named artistic director of The Big Muddy Dance Company and played a key role in its transformation into Saint Louis Dance Theatre in 2024. Today, he is recognized as both a nationally respected educator and a choreographer.
Kirven Douthit-Boyd
The Spark Behind the Work
This new piece began with sound. Douthit-Boyd collaborated with composer and sound designer Uwazi Zmani, who wove together a score sampling folk protest music, Angela Davis’s voice, and the poetry of Saul Williams. “The first time I heard it, my mind was blown,” Douthit-Boyd recalls. “It became a score of strong declarations of freedom. The movement is deeply embedded in that sound.”
Inside the Rehearsal Studio
Douthit-Boyd’s rehearsal process begins with ideas he “lays on” the dancers. Their interpretations and feedback generate fresh outcomes and inspire greater creativity. The room is charged with respect and trust, and he toggles between his two roles: choreographer and artistic director. “Kirven the choreographer is different from Kirven the artistic leader,” he notes. “The dancers get both sides of me in the space, and the morale is high.”
The production team is also shaping the world onstage. Working with lighting and costume designers Shevaré and Zak, Douthit-Boyd is building visual layers that complement the bold sonic landscape. “Production always adds another layer,” he says. “It brings depth and texture.”
What Makes This Work Different
Douthit-Boyd has choreographed a wide range of works for STLDT—from the jazzy Something About a Dream to last year’s powerfully expressive For Love’s Sake. This premiere, though, steps into new territory: abstract structure, activist sound design, and a focus on collective individuality. It is a work born of this moment, when, as he describes, “the world is holding its breath.” For audiences, he hopes the piece will act as “a sigh of relief.”
If You’re New to Contemporary Dance
Try this simple 3-step viewer’s guide:
Why It Matters
For St. Louis, this premiere signifies more than a single night of dance. It reflects the city’s growing role as a hub where nationally relevant work is made, not just presented. Hosting a premiere by Douthit-Boyd—a choreographer rooted in Ailey’s legacy and invested in St. Louis’s cultural future—cements STLDT’s reputation as both innovative and locally grounded.
“Who I am as a human is embedded in everything I create,” he says. “I want the audience to leave transformed.”
Experience a World Premiere in St. Louis
This fall, audiences will witness the unveiling of Kirven Douthit-Boyd’s latest creation with Saint Louis Dance Theatre—a powerful, abstract work shaped by community, individuality, and bold soundscapes.
Fall Series — World Premiere by Kirven Douthit-Boyd
Nov. 14–16, 2025
COCA’s Catherine B. Berges Theatre