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Kevin Jenkins | Official artist biography

Choreographer

2000s

Why They Matter

Jenkins represents a lineage of contemporary ballet makers who build sustainable teaching and creative communities rather than pursuing singular institutional prominence. His founding of Ballet Counterpointe demonstrates a commitment to local choreographic development and artist mentorship—a model…

Known For

Director | Official artist biographyChoreographerDancerTeacher

Biography

Kevin Jenkins is a choreographer, dancer, teacher, and company founder whose career spans concert ballet, contemporary dance, and musical theatre. He trained in San Diego across ballet and other dance practices before co-founding Garage Contemporary Ballet with Ryan Orion Beck in 2006, serving as co-artistic director through 2012. After stepping back from that role, Jenkins pursued freelance choreography and established himself as a sought-after teacher, holding faculty positions at Boston Ballet School, Joffrey Ballet School, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, the University of San Diego, Goucher College, and Master Ballet Academy.

Jenkins's choreographic work has been presented widely across educational and regional companies. His pieces have appeared on Jacob's Pillow's Inside/Out series, and he has received residencies from Djerassi and the National Choreographers Initiative. He has created commissions for State Street Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, and Muhlenberg College, where *A Simpler Time?* premiered in 2018. His choreography extends into dance film, music video direction, and musical theatre work.

In 2022, Jenkins founded Ballet Counterpointe in San Diego, establishing the company to present contemporary ballet while providing workshops and mentorship for local choreographers. Through this venture, he continues to shape the next generation of dance artists in his region.

Legacy & Impact

Jenkins represents a lineage of contemporary ballet makers who build sustainable teaching and creative communities rather than pursuing singular institutional prominence. His founding of Ballet Counterpointe demonstrates a commitment to local choreographic development and artist mentorship—a model that matters as dance institutions seek to decentralize commissioning and creation. Dancers and choreographers working in contemporary ballet continue to draw on the collaborative, teaching-forward approach he has modeled across his career.

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