Will Brighton
Manhattan, NY (Upper West Side) | Email: willbrighton816@gmail.com
Education | Performance | Choreography | Teaching | Awards/Recognitions | Certifications
Education
Western Michigan University — Kalamazoo, MI
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance (2026)
Bachelor of Arts in English: Creative Writing (2026)
Summa Cum Laude
PERFormance
*Denotes original cast member
Saint Louis Dance Theatre (2020-2026) - Company Dancer
St. Louis, MO
2025-26
“Walking Mad” by Johan Inger
“kiss.” by Stephanie Martinez
“Unyielded” by Kirven Douthit-Boyd *
“Pulcinella Suite” by Kirven Douthit-Boyd (in collaboration with Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra) *
2024-25
“Sechs Tanze” by Jiří Kylián
“Good Grief” by Jamar Roberts *
“The North Star” by Norbert de la Cruz III *
“For Love’s Sake” by Kirven Douthit-Boyd *
Gaslight Dreams by Kirven Douthit-Boyd (in collaboration with Jazz St Louis) *
2023-24
“Come… The Sun Doesn’t Wait” by Omar Roman de Jesus *
“New Ritual” by Sidra Bell *
“Notes on a Farewell” by Tommie Waheed-Evans *
“Alchemic Us” by Thang Dao
“Playfolk” by Bradley Shelver *
“Picture Studies” by Kirven Douthit-Boyd (in collaboration with Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra)*
“Something About A Dream” by Kirven Douthit-Boyd *
2022-23
My Dear Watson by Joshua Peugh (role: Dr. John H. Watson) *
“Cloud 9” by Norbert de la Cruz III *
“In The Cedars” by Elizabeth Corbett *
“Vanity Fair” by MJ Willis *
“DANCE” by Kirven Douthit-Boyd *
2021-22
A Carol for the Holidays by Brian Enos (role: Ebeneezer Scrooge)
Black, Brown, and Beige by Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Cecil Slaughter, and Marcus Johnson*
“27” by Kirven Douthit-Boyd
“Dance Sport” by Harrison McEldowney
“Dwell” by Joshua Manculich*
“Virginocence” by Geoff Alexander
“Capute” by Daniel Marshalsay
2020-21
Lemp Legends by Brian Enos (roles: Billy Lemp, William Lemp Sr.)
Blue Roses Falling by Brian Enos
“Black Birch” by Prince Lyons*
MADCO (April 2025) - Guest Artist
St. Louis, MO
“Duet for Wreck” by Carl Flink
Saint Louis Ballet (October 2021) - Guest Artist
St. Louis, MO
Alice in Wonderland by Brian Enos (role: Tweedle Dum)
Western Michigan University (2016-2020) - Student
Kalamazoo, MI
"Just Above the Surface” by Yin Yue*
“Three Themes” from Four Temperaments by George Balanchine
“Wolf” by BAIRA*
“Happy Little Things Waiting on a Gruff Cloud of Wanting” by Aszure Barton
“Esplanade” by Paul Taylor
“Threshold” by Christian Denice*
“Jardin Aux Lilacs” by Antony Tudor
Additional Performance Credits
We Call It Ballet Sleeping Beauty (2025) - St Louis, MO
Dance Center of Kirkwood Nutcracker (2021-25) - Kirkwood, MO
Turning Pointe Nutcracker (2022, 24) - Edwardsville, IL
Dance Wisconsin Nutcracker (2022) - Madison, WI
Ann Arbor Ballet Theatre Nutcracker (2016-18) - Ann Arbor, MI
Arbor Opera Theatre Orpheus and Euridice (2016) - Ann Arbor, MI
Choreography
PITS (2026)
(Premiere) Dare to Dance Festival - January 2026 - St Louis, MO *selected as winning work
INDY Dance Festival - July 2026 - Indianapolis, IN
Dance City Festival NYC - August 2026 - New York, NY
Horse Girl (2025)
Commissioned by Resilience Dance Company
(Premiere) Resilience Dance Company’s 2025 Spring Concert - April 2025 - St Louis, MO
Modern Night at the Gem - February 2026 - Kansas City, MO
Saint Louis Contemporary Dance Festival - July 2026 - St Louis, MO
PITCHFORK, or The Great American Rodeo on the Corner of Grant and Wood (2023)
Commissioned by Space Station Dance Residency
(Premiere) Space Station Dance Residency 2023 - August 2023 - St Louis, MO
RADFest - March 2026 - Kalamazoo, MI *selected for encore performance
Space Station: Run It Back - March 2026 - St Louis, MO
AIMED Dance Festival - July 2026 - Beaumont, TX
Prune Juice: An Autobiography in a Place I’ve Never Been (2019)
(Premiere) WMU Junior Jury Concert - March 2019 - Kalamazoo, MI
ACDA East-Central Conference - March 2020 - Kalamazoo, MI
Chamberlain Dance - March 2020 - Kalamazoo, MI
Dare to Dance Festival - January 2024 - St Louis, MO
Additional Choreographic Commissions
AIMED Dance Company - July 2026 - Beaumont, TX
Resilience Dance Company Summer Intensive - July 2025 - St Louis, MO
Saint Louis Dance Company Summer Intensive - July 2025 - St Louis, MO
Big Muddy Dance Company Elevate Dance Program - September 2021 - St Louis, MO
Eisenhower Dance Detroit NewDANCEfest - July 2021 - Detroit, MI
Young Dancers Initiative - August 2020 - Ann Arbor, MI
Teaching
MADCO (2025-2026) - St Louis, MO
Open company classes and community classes (Contemporary)
Professional Level (18+)
Saint Louis Dance Theatre (2022-2026) - St Louis, MO
Open community classes, trainee program, and summer intensive (Contemporary, Improvisation)
Professional Level (18+), Pre-Professional Level (18+), Ages 11-18
COCA (Center of Creative Arts) (2022-2026) - St Louis, MO
Long-term Substitute Instructor (Ballet, Contemporary)
Beginning Adult (18+), Pre-Professional Level (14-18)
Bridgeman Academy of Performing Arts (2022-2026) - O’Fallon, MO
Year-long curriculum (Ballet, Contemporary, Progressing Ballet Technique, Leaps & Turns, and Conditioning)
Ages 9-18
Arts in Motion (2023-2024) - St Louis, MO
Year-long curriculum (Modern and Ballet)
Ages 6-18
Additional Teaching Engagements (Masterclasses)
AIMED Dance Festival (July 2026) - Beaumont, TX
RADFest (March 2026) - Kalamzoo, MI
Resilience Dance Company (March 2025) - St Louis, MO
awards / recognitions
Selected winner of MADCO’s 2026 Dare to Dance Festival
2021 Emerging Choreographer for Eisenhower Dance Detroit’s NewDANCEfest
Winner of Young Dancers Initiative’s Emerging Choreography Project 2020
Finalist for Gwen Frostic Creative Writing Award for Playwriting 2020
Certifications
Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) - Level 1 Certified
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist
NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
NASM Certified Nutrition Coach
AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor
CPR Certified