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DDT Resident Choreographer · Philadelphia · Working Nationally

Kareem B. Goodwin

Choreographer, educator, and arts leader whose work centers the legacy, evolution, and future of Black dance. Resident Choreographer of Dissonance Dance Theatre; Artistic Director of The Pointe! Dance Studio (Philadelphia); Adjunct Professor of Jazz Dance, Drexel University.

Princess Grace Nominee Ellen Forman Memorial Award ACDA 2026 Choreographer Dallas Black · IABD 2026
Kareem B. Goodwin — Resident Choreographer, Dissonance Dance Theatre
4
Current institutional roles · DDT · Pointe! · Drexel · DeSales
8
Cities choreographed in · Across 7 states
3
2025 commissions · Dallas Black · Atlanta Dance Connection · Textures
2026
ACDA National Festival choreographer
01 · Current Roles

Choreographer. Educator. Arts Leader.

Goodwin's work spans professional companies, universities, and community-based institutions across the United States — blending modern, jazz, and contemporary movement vocabularies with an emphasis on musicality, emotional depth, and cultural storytelling.

Dissonance Dance Theatre · Ngoma Center for Dance
Resident Choreographer

Contributes original works and creative collaborations exploring contemporary Black movement aesthetics and interdisciplinary storytelling. DDT →

August 15, 2025 · Philadelphia
Artistic Director · The Pointe! Dance Studio

Leads artistic and educational vision while mentoring emerging dancers and choreographers — providing rigorous instruction, performance opportunities, and pathways into the professional field.

Drexel University · Philadelphia
Adjunct Professor of Jazz Dance

Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. Bridges professional practice with higher education, guiding young artists in technical foundation and creative voice.

From December 2025 · Pennsylvania
Faculty Affiliate · DeSales University

Center Valley, PA. Adds a third institutional teaching post within Pennsylvania's higher-education dance landscape.

02 · Choreographic Practice

Commissions & Companies

Goodwin has created works for professional companies, universities, and dance institutions across the country — bringing musicality, physical storytelling, and a commitment to cultivating the next generation of artists into every commission.

Dallas, TX
Dallas Black Dance Theatre
Commissioned by Richard A. Freeman Jr.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Dance Connection
Commissioned by Allyne D. Gartrell · IABD 2026
MD · Premiered Oct 2025
Textures Dance Theatre
Commissioned by Marcus Isaiah
Washington, DC
Dissonance Dance Theatre
Resident Choreographer — multi-year
Philadelphia, PA
Eleone Dance Theatre
New York, NY
MOVE | NYC
Choreographic Resident, DC Experience 2025
Drexel University
Drexel Dance Ensemble
West Chester, PA
West Chester University
New York
State University of New York
03 · Watch the Work

Selected Work

Two early DDT works that anchor the choreographic vocabulary Goodwin has developed across the company's repertoire.

2019 · Dissonance Dance Theatre
Shade
2018 · Dissonance Dance Theatre
Vision Vs Reality
Film · Cannes World Best Dance Film
MUTE: Dance Silenced by COVID

Goodwin's contributions to Ngoma Film Works' short film MUTE: Dance Silenced by COVID — winner of "Best Dance Film" at Cannes World Film Festival — marked his first film credit as a choreographer, reflecting his continued exploration of movement across both stage and screen.

04 · Growth Arc

Year by Year

Consistent, measurable growth across three years of residency with Dissonance Dance Theatre — from local performance season to national commissions and academic appointments.

Foundation
2023
  • Created new works for DDT's performance season
  • Contributed to DDT's growing presence in DC contemporary dance
  • Performed at Atlas Performing Arts Center
Reach + Recognition
2024
  • Expanded choreographic reach across 8 cities in 7 states
  • DDT performed Shade (created by Goodwin in 2019) at Publick Playhouse, Prince George's County
  • Princess Grace Award Nominee in Choreography (NYC)
  • Ellen Forman Memorial Award recipient (Philadelphia)
National · Multi-Institution
2025
  • Dallas Black Dance Theatre commissioned Building the Beat — premiered at Publick Playhouse, world premiere in Dallas
  • Atlanta Dance Connection commission — premiering at IABD Conference 2026
  • New work for Textures Dance Theatre — Publick Playhouse, October 2025
  • Selected: ACDA 2026 National Festival choreographer
  • Choreographic Resident, MOVE NYC DC Experience
  • Appointed Adjunct Professor — Drexel University
  • Appointed Faculty Affiliate — DeSales University
  • Named Artistic Director — The Pointe! Dance Studio
05 · Recognition

Awards & Foundation Support

Goodwin's artistic and community leadership has been recognized by national choreographic awards and through support from foundations dedicated to advancing artists whose work demonstrates meaningful cultural and community impact.

NYC · 2024
Princess Grace Award
Nominee, Choreography
Philadelphia · 2024
Ellen Forman Memorial Award
Recipient
2026 · National Festival
ACDA Choreographer
American College Dance Association · Selection
Cannes World Film Festival
Best Dance Film
As choreographer · MUTE: Dance Silenced by COVID
Foundation Support
The Bartol Foundation
Support for artists whose work demonstrates meaningful cultural and community impact
Foundation Support
The Philadelphia Foundation
Support for cultural and community impact
National Network
IABD Member Artist
International Association of Blacks in Dance · National convenings, mentorship, artistic exchange
06 · Teaching & Mentorship

In Demand Nationally

Goodwin is an in-demand teaching artist who has worked with institutions across the United States for intensives, residencies, workshops, and master classes. His teaching practice emphasizes curiosity, discipline, and artistic individuality — encouraging dancers to develop both technical excellence and a strong personal voice.

The Ngoma School
Washington, DC · Faculty, ongoing
Studio 305
Las Vegas, NV · Ongoing artistic partnership
Maryland Academy of Dance
Owings Mills, MD · Long-standing relationship
Lake Alfred Dance Center
Lake Alfred, FL · Since July 2025
Norwegian Cruise Line
Youth Summer Program · Guest teacher, July 2025