Biography
Derek Crescenti is a performing artist and educator originally from the state of Michigan. He earned his BFA from The University of Michigan and was a member of Donald Byrd's Spectrum Dance Theater from 2011 to 2014. As a freelance artist, Derek performed with dance companies such as Keigwin + Company, The Bang Group, Megan Williams Dance Projects, Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, The Chase Brock Experience, and the Mark Morris Dance Group. With the New York City-based company 10 Hairy Legs, he performed repertory works by choreographers Randy James, David Parker, Manuel Vignoulle, Doug Elkins, Stephen Petronio, Heidi Latsky, Christopher Williams, and premiered new creations by Doug Varone, Al Blackstone, Raja Feather Kelly, Yin Yue, Larry Keigwin, Megan Williams, and Adam Barruch. Theater credits include Seattle Theatre Group's Black Nativity, the 5th Avenue Theatre's Oklahoma!, and The Public Theater's Hercules.
In addition to performing, Derek has acted as a rehearsal director and assistant, working with Donald Byrd on his commission, Greenwood, for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He teaches Byrd Contemporary and has staged Mr. Byrd's work at Barnard College and DeSales University. At Spectrum Dance Theater, he teaches company class and re-constructs Mr. Byrd's works on the current company. Derek also assisted Larry Keigwin on his most recent commission, Drum Circle, for the Paul Taylor Dance Company and has staged Mr. Keigwin's choreography on Ormao Dance Company in Colorado Springs, CO.
Derek's choreographic works have been presented at the Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange's SpringUP Dance Festival, Ten Tiny Dances at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, PA, the Seattle International Dance Festival, and in collaboration with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra. He regularly teaches and adjudicates for arts festivals and competitions including the New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival, Youth America Grand Prix, Edge National Talent Competition, and is a member of Impact Dance Adjudicators. Derek teaches as part of the master class series at The Taylor School of Paul Taylor's American Modern Dance in NYC and was previously full-time faculty with the Dance Department at DeSales University for the 2022-2023 Academic Year.