Derek Reid

Derek Reid began his training at the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet in his native Washington, D.C. He subsequently studied in intensive dance programs in Cannes, France (with Rosella Hightower), Milwaukee Ballet, and Richmond Ballet. He began attending Butler University where he received a B.F.A. in Dance. Over the span of Mr. Reid’s professional dance career, he performed with the Louisville Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Montreal and Ballet Met in Columbus, Ohio. He created leading roles in works by internationally acclaimed choreographers, among them Choo San Goh, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Nacho Duato, James Kudelka, Mark Morris, and Ohad Naharin. His repertoire ranged from the classical to the contemporary. His roles have included the prince in The Nutcracker, Siegfried in Swan Lake, and various roles in works by Antony Tudor, Vaslev Nijinsky, Irina Nijinska, Agnes de Mille, and George Balanchine.
Mr. Reid’s television credits include PBS’s production of Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Fall River Legend, choreographed by Agnes de Mille, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Dancers for Life gala, in which he performed the pas de deux from Nacho Duato’s Rassemblement. A highlight of his career was dancing Duato’s Cor Perdut at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece with the Gala des Etoiles, alongside renown international dancers Damian Woetzel, Darcie Bussel and Carlos Acosta.

Mr. Reid embarked on his teaching career in 1985 with the Northwest Florida Ballet. From 2000-2004, he was Associate Director of the Fort Wayne Ballet. Following his time in Fort Wayne, Mr. Reid began his current teaching position as Professor of Dance at Butler University. Mr. Reid teaches Ballet History, Classical Ballet Technique, Classical and Contemporary Pas de Deux, Choreography, and Black Dance in the American Tradition, a Perspectives in the Creative Arts core curriculum course. Mr. Reid continues to guest teach nationally and choreograph original classical and contemporary works for regional companies as well as for Butler Ballet. His strong classical background and experience creating and performing contemporary choreography informs his technique teaching, new choreographic work and the love of his art.