Kirven Douthit-Boyd

Kirven Douthit-Boyd is Associate Director of Dance and Artistic Director of COCAdance at COCA. He previously served as Co-Artistic Director of Dance. He began his formal dance training at the Boston Arts Academy and as a member of Boston Youth Moves. Kirven studied as a fellowship student at The Ailey School and at the Boston Conservatory. He earned a Master of Fine Arts in dance from Hollins University.

He began his professional career as a member of Ailey II from 2002–2004 and also performed at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival as a member of Battleworks Dance Company in 2003. In 2004, Kirven joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performing nationally and internationally for 11 years. He performed leading roles in works choreographed by Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, Robert Battle, Ron K. Brown, Geoffrey Holder, Jiri Kylian, David Parsons, Camille A. Brown, Ulysses Dove, Christopher Wheeldon, Hofesh Shecter, Twyla Tharp, Wayne McGregor, and Ohad Naharin. In 2016, Kirven joined Ron K. Brown/Evidence, A Dance Company as a guest artist.

In 2010, Kirven performed at the White House tribute to Judith Jamison hosted by Michelle Obama. He appeared as a guest artist in ballet and contemporary dance galas in Argentina, Mexico, and Canada. He is the 2014 recipient of the Black Theater Alliance Award for his performance in Wayne McGregor’s Chroma, the 2015 recipient of the Next Generation in Leadership Award from the Freedom House in Boston, and the 2016 recipient of Boston Arts Academy’s Apollo Award.

Kirven has choreographed for The Ailey School, The Juilliard School, Webster University, Boston Arts Academy, Boston Youth Moves, and COCA. He has also choreographed for Dallas Black Dance Theater, The Big Muddy Dance Company, The Black Repertory Theater, The Repertory Theater of St. Louis, and Ailey II. He is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum, and has completed Lester Horton Pedagogy studies under Ana Marie Forsythe in New York and St. Louis.