Artists Talk: Hope Boykin

A conversation with internationally celebrated choreographer, Hope Boykin, who performed for 20 years with Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. Hope will discuss her work with dance majors performing in her piece The Other Side, an adaptation of a Jacqueline Woodson book.

Hope Boykin (Director and Choreographer)
Two-time "Bessie" Award-winner Hope Boykin was an original member of ComplexionsContemporary Ballet, danced with Philadanco, and retired after 20 years with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She has choreographed for numerous universities including The Julliard School, Ailey Fordham/BFA, and USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, and has made works for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, ABT Studio Company, Ballet Black of London, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Martha Graham Dance Company, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Philadanco, The Philadelphia Ballet, and HopeBoykinDance.

In October 2023, Boykin was featured in The New York Times and on the cover of Dance Magazine in recognition of her achievements as a creator, mover, maker, and motivator; and for States of Hope, a fully scripted, evening-length, new dance theater work, which premiered at The Joyce Theater to great acclaim.

In 2021, Hope Boykin directed and choreographed The Other Side, a co-commission for Kennedy Center Family Theater, bringing the award-winning children's book, by Jacqueline Woodson to life on stage. It was revived in 2024 for Kennedy Center and BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music). She received a grant from the Mellon Foundation in fall 2021 and premiered An Evening of Hope at 92NY in New York City. Beauty Size & Color, a short film now featured on PBS.org, was nominated for a 2023 New York Emmy Award.

Boykin has directed and choreographed musical theatre productions, created works, performed with musical artists Bokante, Abiah, and Leslie Odom Jr., and is building a foundation for her company, HopeBoykinDance.

In 2024, Boykin was honored as one of Crain's Notable Black Leaders. With collaborator Al Crawford, HBArts Collective was selected to join the first cohort of the Doris Duke Performing Arts Technology Lab and was awarded the 2025 Inspiration Through the Arts Award from 92NY's Extraordinary Women Award celebration. She serves as an Adjunct Professor at Howard University and is Artist-In-Residence at USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance.

Boykin founded the not-for-profit HBArts Collective Inc.-a collaborative space where creators refine their craft, build community, and shape the future in music, film, theatre, and dance-and uses her platform to mentor and bridge the gap for emerging artists with goals for a professional dance career.

She believes there are no limits