Houston Contemporary Dance Company will be commissioning a New Work from choreographer McKinley Willis. Read more about her below and see the World Premiere June 9th, 2023 at the Miller Outdoor Theatre!
A native of Dallas, Texas, McKinley Willis is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Modern Dance Performance with a minor in Health and Exercise Science from The University of Oklahoma. During her time at OU, her choreography was featured in the Young Choreographer’s Showcase, paving her journey to creative discovery. As a senior, McKinley collaborated with composer Leah Kennedy for the production of "Not Buying It", a show reflecting the dark reality of the human trafficking system in America. McKinley’s Capstone Project, The Experience: Love, Life, Light, was a 45 minute, one-act show created in collaboration with various artists - it was this production that sparked her fiercest desire to collaborate, in turn leading to the development of her arts organization The Artist Kinnection.
McKinley’s professional dance career includes performances with 6 O’clock Dance, Bruce Wood Dance Project, and she is currently in her 8th season with Dallas Black Dance Theatre. She’s had several choreographed works featured in DBDT’s annual Black on Black series, premiering works such as “Black Angels”, “Gus” and “A Suite Christmas”. McKinley has also been commissioned to choreograph for several special events including weddings, birthdays, and various corporate events throughout the DFW metroplex. In 2019 she choreographed Arts Visions’ production of “Hair Spray Jr.” under the Direction of Fran Anderson and in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, she choreographed and organized Arts Visions’ virtual edition of “The Wiz Jr.,” recognized for its creativity and ingenuity. McKinley recently choreographed and premiered the duet “Frayed Ends” for the Agora Artists’ workshop.
McKinley’s invigorating take on movement defines dance by way of the human experience and encourages connections to happen - creating space for vulnerability, exploration and authenticity. Her goal is to cultivate spaces that encourage the dancers to put themselves in it.