Hinton Battle Founder and Artistic Director

Born in Germany, and raised in Washington, D.C. and New York City, Battle's tremendous talent became apparent at the early age of nine. After three years of studying ballet at the Jones & Haywood School of Ballet he recieved a scholarship to The School of American Ballet, under the legendary George Balanchine, where he studied till the age of fifteen.

Battle has the honor to have recieved three Antoinette Perry Tony Awards for his work in three Broadway Shows: SOPHISTICATED LADIES (1981), THE TAP DANCE KID (1984), and MISS SAIGON (1992). He has also recieved THE NAACP AWARD and THE FRED ASTAIRE AWARD for his work in THE TAP DANCE KID. Other Broadway shows Hinton has starred in include DANCIN', DREAMGIRLS, and CHICAGO as Billy Flynn. He received rave reviews as Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the Chicago Production of RAGTIME, which garnered him an IRA ALDRIDGE AWARD.

He served as Associate Choreographer on both "65th and 66th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS". He received great notices for his work as an actor and choreographer on the feature film, FOREIGN STUDENT. The following year, Hinton wrote, directed and choreographed 712 CATHEDRAL for WJZ-TV. He has also choreographed for COCA-COLA, DISNEY, and the sitcoms FIRED UP, SISTER SISTER, THE TROUBLE WITH NORMAL, ANDY RECTOR SHOW, WARNER BROTHER'S, NETWORK PROMOS and THE ELLA FITZGERALD TRIBUTE.

In 1995, Hinton's performed Elton John's nominated song, CIRCLE OF LIFE, on the 67th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS. With Otis Sallid, Battle developed his one-man show, SHINE, for the 1997 HBO ASPEN COMEDY ARTS FESTIVAL where he recieved tremendous attention as a comic force. Battle also performed on the KENNEDY CENTER 25th ANNIVERSAY Special. Battle narrated The Kennedy Center's children's ballet, PEPITO'S STORY. As an actor, Battle starred opposite Shirley McClain, Joan Collins, Debbi Reynolds and Elzabeth Taylor in the ABC television special THESE OLD BROAD'S and choreographed and starred as Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson in CHILD STAR "THE SHIRLEY TEMPLE STORY" for Disney/ABC. He had the pleasure on playing "Sweet" the evil dance master in BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.

In 2006, Hinton Battle choreographed the movie musical IDLEWILD starring Oukast and Terrence Howard. He also co-directed and choreographed the off-Broadway horror-musical EVIL DEAD, currently playing at New World Stages. As an actor he played the role of WAYNE in the Golden Globen winning movie musical DREAMGIRLS which is currently in theaters.