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A little about me...

As a multidisciplinary artist, I specialize in choreography, direction, filmmaking, and education, all unified by my passion for movement. Movement is my expertise and my preferred way to communicate. Yet, my disciplines in theater, music composition, and film allow me to perform, teach, and speak as a dance practitioner and scholar without borders.

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AWARDS & HONORS

CALIFORNIA SENATE 2021 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION

NAZARETH COLLEGE 2019 PRESIDENT’S FACULTY COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD 

NEW YORK INNOVATIVE THEATER AWARD NOMINEE “OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY”

THE NAACP "TOP 21 LEADERS 40 & UNDER AWARD"  IN THE FIELDS OF "ARTS & CULTURE

TWICE HONORED AS A "RISING STAR"  BY THE YOUNG & POWERFUL FOR OBAMA GROUP

THE SHIRLEY CHISHOLM "WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE" AWARD

FRED & ADELE ASTAIRE AWARD 2010 "BEST FEMALE DANCE ENSEMBLE IN A BROADWAY SHOW"

TWICE HONORED "WHO'S WHO OF AMERICAN COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES" 

HONORARY MEMBER OF SIGMA GAMMA RHO SORORITY

SAG. AFTRA. AEA. 

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BIOGRAPHY

Hettie Barnhill is a Filmmaker, Broadway actress, Director, Choreographer, and the founder of ‘Create A Space NOW’ an interactive social justice platform that uses performing arts and multimedia to further discussion around #blacklivesmatter and the recent events and race relations in America. Her film, A Love Letter to Brian, Lesley, and Michelle, has been selected and awarded in festivals currently showing nationally and internationally and honored by the California Senate with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, "Using Film as a Vehicle For Community Engagement and Education" by Congressman Ro Khanna and California Senator Bob Wieckowski. Nominated for a New York Innovative Theater Award for Outstanding Choreography, Hettie has performed nationally and internationally on Television, Film, and on Broadway in the productions "Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark," Tony Award-winning "FELA!" (original cast), and the Tony award-nominated "Leap Of Faith" (original cast).

 

As an educator, currently teaching Dance and Theater at Union College in Schenectady NYHettie graduated from Columbia College Chicago and has her  MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts, Performance Creation Concentration focusing on Art and Activism, from Goddard College. Hettie, opened  ‘Movement & Characters’, a school dedicated to providing industry-level, professional classes in the performing arts for students of all ages, levels, and financial backgrounds, operating in Greater New York & New York City, sharing her love for dance and exploring how to create spaces where form and technique are being learned, perspective is being shared, culture is being experienced, and history is being discussed. In addition, she has taught at several Colleges and Universities including: As the Visiting Artist-In-Residence in Dance at Skidmore College in Saratoga, NY, Visiting Assistant Professor of Theater and Dance at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY, and Stephens College in Columbia, MO. She has also been a Guest Artist at the University Of Rochester, Suny Potsdam, Suny Brockport, Suny New Paltz, and Sam Houston State University. Hettie has also taught at dance at The Mark Morris School Brooklyn NY, JCC Triple Threat NJ, Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, NY,  and Encore Dance Competition for the Stars, NJ ( judge).  

Using art as therapy, Hettie has received awards for her outreach and service in communities, including The NAACP's "Top 21 Leaders 40 & Under Award" In The Fields Of Arts & Culture, Twice Honored As A "Rising Star" By The Young & Powerful For Obama Group, The Shirley Chisholm "Women Of Excellence." Since 2006, Hettie has worked with A Long Walk Home Inc., a nonprofit organization that uses art therapy and the visual and performing arts to document, educate and bring about social change for survivors of rape and violence. 

Hettie's dance training commenced at the Pelagie Green Wren Dance Academy at the age of three. She continued her education at the Katherine Dunham Center for Performing Arts School and Ms. Alexandra Ballet School in Missouri. She is an alumnus of the COCA Pre-Professional Program & COCAdance and graduated in 2002 from Central Visual Performing Arts High School in St. Louis, Missouri. During her high school years, she performed in summer productions at the Muny Opera in St. Louis, MO. Additionally, she attended the American Dance Festival in Durham, NC, and trained at The Alvin Ailey Theater and the Cunningham Studio in New York City. 

 

Hettie has collaborated with various prestigious dance companies and artists. She was a second company member of Urban Bush Women, a company member of Black Label Movement in Minnesota, an apprentice at the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, and a company member of Balance Dance Theater, directed by Obediah Wright. Her performance repertoire includes works by renowned choreographers such as Ron K. Brown, Peter London, Jowelle Zoller, Keith Tyrone Williams, Katherine Dunham, Cornelius Carter, Mercedes Ellington, Rodney Hamilton, Lee Nolting, Judith Jamison, Doug Verone, and many others.

 

In theater, Hettie trained with CHIPS in St. Louis, MO, The St. Louis Black Rep, Circle in the Square in New York, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) in New York, Sherwood Music School in Chicago, IL, Second City Improv in Chicago, IL, and Face Off Unlimited in NYC, among others.

Hettie was born In St. Louis, MO, and was raised both in East St. Louis, Illinois, and St. Louis, MO.

CREDITS

PERFORMANCE ( select )

BROADWAY: SPIDERMAN-TURN OFF THE DARK (Ring Girl) | LEAP OF FAITH (Angel of Mercy) | FELA! (Queen) 

REGIONAL: (selected few) La Mama Umbria International | Spoletto Italy |La Jolla Playhouse, CA: Fly (Tree) | Metropolitan Opera NY: Electra, Romeo and Juliet, LuLu | Dallas Theater Center in Dallas TX, Fly (Tree) |The Ohio Theater NY, Surrender-Off Broadway (Drama Desk 2009 Nominee) |The Arvada Center in Arvada CO: LaCage Aux Folles (Bitelle, Colette) The Riverside Theater in Vera Beach FL: LaCage Aux Folles (Derma) |St Louis Black Rep: Guys&Dolls (Mimi)|St. Louis MUNY Opera: Hairspray (Lorraine), Aida, Meet Me in St. Louis, My Fair Lady, and Camelot 

TV/FILM & OTHER:  Roll The Credits Music Video | New Amsterdam | A Love Letter To Brian, Lesley and Michelle |Broadway For Biden | Bo
lden The Film |The Knick | Law and Order | Metropolitan Opera | Face-Off Unlimited | BET HONORS | PBS Josephine Baker | Fashion Rocks NBC | Second City-Chicago IL |Black Label Movement-Minnesota MN |Arroja-Lisbon Portugal |The Kennedy Center-Washington DC | Amici-Roma Italy.

 

CHOREOGRAPHY & DIRECTING  ( select )

Conversations Embodied Nina Simone and James Baldwin | Create A Space NOW | Troy, NY

Skeleton Crew | BTTUNY | Cap Rep in Albany, NY

Roll The Credits | Danielle Ponder | Puerto Rico 

Woke-Ness In The Body & Freedom Dance Floors |Skidmore College| Saratoga Springs, NY

Now Look! | La Mama Umbria International | Spoletto Italy

Skin|Disordered - Skidmore College| Saratoga Springs, NY

Love Letter To Brian Lesley and Michelle | Film | Various Locations

This Is Me| Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival | Virtual

LGB | Missouri Theater | Columbia, MO

Soars | Tour | Various Locations

Soldiers Tale | Callahan Theater | Rochester, NY

Vinegar Tom | Studio 48 | Rochester, NY

The Head Of The Table | Allen Main Stage | Rochester, NY

Create A Space NOW Live | The Geva Fielding Stage | Rochester, NY

Pillow Fight | Jebon Nyc | New York, NY

Black Lives Matter | Video

Surrender |International Wow Theater| Ohio Theater |New York, NY

A Cabaret At The End Of The World | Irt Theater| New York, NY

Bernstein 100 |Glazer Music Performance Center |Rochester, NY

FESTIVALS: 60x60, Solar One, The Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival, and Dance Chicago. 

FOR CHOREOGRAPHIC & DIRECTING EXCERPTS

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