We were lucky to catch up with Kirven Douthit-Boyd recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kirven , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I come from a very creative family. I was encouraged to dance almost as soon as I could walk. At first it was extremely recreational, but then I developed a deep passion for movement. I knew that I wanted to become a professional dancer after seeing a performance of The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. I had never seen dance like that. I was amazed at the beauty, physicality, and artistry pouring from bodies that looked like mine.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I grew up training in Boston at the High School of performing Arts, and an after school program called Boston Youth Moves. I also spent time training at The Boston Conservatory and summers on scholarship at The Ailey School in New York. After graduating from High School I was offered a position with Ailey II – the junior company of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. I spent 2 years in the ensemble and was promoted to the first company where I was blessed with an 11 year tenure. During that time, I fostered my love for teaching, mentoring, and choreographing. I spent time in residence at the Center of Creative Arts and fell in love with St. Louis. After shifting to an administrative position, I knew that I had to continue to grow as a human in order to be able to really fulfill my obligations. I continued to work around the world and was able to receive a Master of Fine Arts degree from Hollins University. After some time at COCA I recognized my ability to lead and decided to honor that by taking a step back and focusing my efforts to professional dance. I’m happy to serve as the Artistic Director of The Big Muddy Dance Company as it is a very exciting moment of growth for the organization.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I’m committed to diversity. I have turned my attention to making sure that my ensemble reflects the St Louis community and that my creatives come from an array of backgrounds and perspectives. We are a repertory company with a connection to dance theatre. I want to make sure that we have work that speaks to all of our patrons. My personal creative journey is also rooted in the idea of representation. I love to make stories reflective of my body politics and sometimes generating movement just for the sake of enjoying something beautiful.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I wish that I had more of a grasp on the business of dance. Specifically marketing, development, and fundraising. I feel that I learned a great deal about producing high caliber performance art, but I could have spent a bit more time with the individuals who were supporting my efforts to really learn the inner workings of their roles. My dream is to develop a school that would nurture the artistic and administrative skills of students simultaneously.
Contact Info:
- Website: thebigmuddydanceco.org
- Instagram: @bigmuddydanceco / https://instagram.com/bigmuddydanceco
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/BigMuddyDanceCo
Image Credits
Kirven Headshot by Tarrice Love Dancer Photos by Kelly Pratt Photo 1 Molly Rapp Photo 2 Megan Rancour Photo 3 Sergio Camacho Photo 4 Jorrell Jefferson Sergio Camacho Will Brighton