KT COLLECTIVE is a project based dance company in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Kristin Taylor Duncan in 2012, the company produces works that stem from modern, contemporary and jazz techniques. Works are often inspired my sculptures, paintings, and life experiences. The company had its first performance at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, NC. The work ” Not Myself” was commissioned by the museum in response to two artists from the 30 Americans Exhibit, (Xaviera Simmons and Purvis Young).
Mrs. Taylor Duncan was soon granted the Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists Grant in the fall of 2012 to production her first show. KTC has performed in the first annual Triangle Dance Project Showcase, Durham and Raleigh Artwalks, NC Dance Festival, Durham’s Kwanzaa Celebration and with the Nasher Musuem at Duke University. In 2019 KT COLLECTIVE performed in the Ernie Barnes Tribute hosted by the NC Museum of History which was then followed by a commissioned worked by Proxemic Media to create a piece for the civil rights mural, “Continuing to Tell”, located in downtown Durham.
Collaborators and company members of KT COLLECTIVE include Jackie Bennett, Alexandra Burchette, Kim Hall, Darian Moore, Jasmine Powell and Megan Ross.
Founder and Artistic Director
Kristin Taylor Duncan is a native of Durham, NC, where she trained with Collage African Dance Company and Dance Arts Unlimited. She is a BFA graduate of the UNC School of the Arts. Mrs. Duncan has trained at Jacobs Pillow, and on scholarship at the Lou Conte Dance Studios in Chicago. In New York, she apprenticed with Urban Bush Women, and worked with choreographers Nathan Trice, Bridget Moore, Christal Brown and Sidra Bell. Kristin has performed with Kariamu Welsh and Nnenna Freelon in the Clotheline Muse, cellist and vocalist Shana Tucker, Dr. Andrea Woods Valdés, Hélène Simoneau, Mexico City-based Tania Perez-Salas Compania de Danza, Juel Lane, Gaspard Louis, nosi DANCE theatre, as well as created and performed works with Yuxtadanza Compania de Danza of Venezuela.
Kristin performed with Helen Simoneau for the DANCE X Tour traveling to Montreal, Tokyo and Busan, South Korea. She has taught in UNCSA’s preparatory program, for the Festival of North Carolina Dance, Slippery Rock and also as a guest teacher at Enloe High School (Raleigh, NC), Durham School of the Arts and Tri-Cities Performing Arts School in Atlanta, GA.
For two seasons Kristin joined the Community Choral Project at UNC Chapel Hill as the High School choreographer. She as also worked with the Glenwood Elementary award winning 5TH grade Show Choir. Kristin has choreographed works for the elementary students participating in Evening of Entertainment presented by Durham Public Schools performed at the Durham Performing Arts Center.
Mrs. Duncan is a proud recipient of the Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artist Grant producing her first concert for KT COLLECTIVE. Since the founding days of KT COLLECTIVE, she has been commissioned to create works by Helen Simoneau, NC Museum of Art, the Nasher Museum, NC Museum of History and Myra Weiss of Proxemic Media and has received the Artist Support Grant. Kristin has performed a solo work choreographed by Jasmine Powell in Approximation of Woman. Ms. Powell also invited Kristin to perform in the “Problem PSA” by music vocalist Kwanza Jones. Most recently she was the director of the dance showcase for the Collegium of African Disapora Dance 2026 Conference.
Currently, she is the Dance Educator at Riverside High School, Duke University and the Ballet School of Chapel Hill and is excited to begin the planning for KT COLLECTIVE’s 1st Benefit Gala.
THE COMPANY
Jasmine Powell is a dance artist of the community from Hillsborough, NC. Locally trained, her performance career began with Durham’s Collage Dance Company, then moved to join Dance Diaspora, and Philadanco where she studied, performed and choreographed original work. She continued exploring art and its meaning with a B.A. from Oberlin College, and M.F.A. from Hollins University in collaboration with the American Dance Festival, and Frankfurt University for Music and Performing Arts. Jasmine enjoys the pleasure of having performed original work by Dianne McIntyre, Milton Myers, Ronald K. Brown, KT Niehoff, and more. As an artist surrounding herself with the creation of visual, and choreographic art, Jasmine does not exclude the art of nature, culture, teaching, learning, and listening.Currently, she is on Faculty at Elon University where she brings cultural history into the dance curriculum with multiple forms. She is currently a dancer with KT COLLECTIVE, as well as COMPANY, and creates her own aesthetic choreography locally and regionally with performances and workshops. As research inquiries fuel her passions, Jasmine is thankful to have learned the value in exploring the organic movement of the body’s personal story and is investigating genre-crossing dance as the inquiry to how opposite embodied features reside in each other.
Alexandra Burchette (rehearsal assistant) is a dancer, maker, and arts administrator living in Durham, North Carolina. Raised in Concord, NC she studied ballet, tap, jazz, and Irish dance as a child, finding joy and community through movement at a young age. A pivotal summer at North Carolina Governor’s School introduced her to the practice of modern dance and somatics and marked the first of many sojourns to watch performances at the American Dance Festival.
Alexandra’s collegiate years were spent at NC State University dividing her time between the study of textile design and as a company member of Panoramic Dance Project. Under the direction of Tara Mullins and Autumn Mist Belk she had the privilege of dancing for many incredible choreographers, most significantly Baba Chuck Davis. Alexandra spent the summer of 2019 at the American Dance Festival studying dance and somatics with Paul Matteson. In 2020 Alexandra was cast in an experimental dance theatre production under the direction of Craig Quintero and Torry Bend to be performed at Duke University.
Alexandra is currently the Program Assistant to North Carolina State University’s Dance Program and an artist liaison for the Brehm Residency through Fuller Seminary, exploring the integration of art and theology. She continues the study and practice of modern dance and, in recent years, has been greatly impacted by the teachings of Tracey Durbin and Andrea Woods Valdés.
Megan Ross is a dance artist and educator based in Durham. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama she graduated from Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) with the Dance Achievement Award. Megan continued her education at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA where she earned a B.A. in Dance Performance and French & Francophone Studies Magna Cum Laude. She has had the honor to perform works by Mark Morris Dance Group founding member, Teri Weksler; répétiteur for Donald McKayle, Randall Anthony Smith; and répétiteur for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Germaul Barnes.
Megan has presented her own choreography throughout the northeast including the Richmond Dance Festival, North Carolina Dance Festival, Loose Leaves Dance Showcase, and American College Dance Association. In addition to dance, she has been a longtime pilates practitioner and completed The Pilates Center’s 950 hour Advanced Teacher Training Program. Currently Megan is the school director at Barriskill Dance Theatre School, teaches pilates at InsideOut Body Therapies, performs with the KT Collective, and creates her own work.
Tristen Matthews is originally from Washington DC and currently resides in Leesburg, Virginia. She discovered dance at a very early age and by the age of 4 she was dancing at the Dance Institute of Washington. At the age of 8, she she began training at the Washington School of Ballet, and at the Kennedy Center in the Dance Theater of Harlem youth program. She attended the Metropolitan School of the Arts (MSA), in Fairfax Virginia where she trained in ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary. Tristen’s performance experience includes The Nutcracker with the Joffrey Ballet, works by Merce Cunningham and Jose Limon, and in Florence, Italy with Roy Assf and Alleyne Dance where she also performed her own choreography. Tristen received a BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she majored in contemporary/ modern dance and studied a variety of techniques including Cunningham, Graham, Limon, and Ballet. In her senior year, she attended The Ailey School Independent Study Program where trained intensively in Horton, Ballet, Graham, Dunham, Contemporary, and West African and was mentored by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater member Patrick Coker. Tristen is currently a member of the contemporary ballet company, Gin Dance Company.
Lauren McBarron is a performer, dance educator, and choreographer from Harrison City, a small town just outside of Pittsburgh. She received her BFA in dance from Slippery Rock University in 2021 with concentrations in performance, choreography, and business administration. At SRU, she worked with choreographers such as Bill Evans, Jesse Factor, Lindsay Fisher Viatori, Jennifer Keller, and Grady Bowman, and had the opportunity to perform Martha Graham’s Celebration at the Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out series in 2019. Lauren danced professionally with the West Virginia Dance Company from 2021 to 2023, where she performed works by Gerri Houlihan, Toneta Akers-Toler, Donald Laney, Maureen Kaddar, Dane Toney, and Heather Taylor-Martin for K-12 schools in West Virginia and the public.
Most recently, she was involved in a project with Attack Theatre, a Pittsburgh based dance company, in a collaboration with Quantum Theater Company. Lauren also recently worked as assistant rehearsal director to Gerri Houlihan during her residency with the West Virginia Dance Company. In addition to dancing, she is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor.
Julia Phu is a Durham-based dance artist whose work is rooted in ballet and modern technique, guided by a deep commitment to collaborative process. She is currently a company dancer with the Kristin Taylor Duncan Collective, where she performs, rehearses, and teaches.
In addition to her work with KTC, Julia has had the privilege of training with Doug Varone and Dancers and with a wide range of educators at the American Dance Festival. She has performed works by Jenna Riegel, Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE Dance Company, Jill Guyton Nee, Christina McKinney, Kara Robertson and has an upcoming performance performing a work by Alyah Baker.
She continues to pursue growth in floorwork, partnering, and cross-genre movement practices, approaching each project with curiosity, discipline, and a collaborative spirit.
Julia holds a B.S. in Exercise Science with a Minor in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. Outside the dancing, she works at Duke as a Fitness Specialist and as a Personal Trainer.
Asha Chinfloo is a dance artist and choreographer based in Durham, North Carolina. She holds a BFA in Dance with a concentration in Choreography and Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where she studied under accomplished faculty members such as Janet Lily, BJ Sullivan, Robin Gee, Teresa Heiland, Clarice Young, Maurice Watson, Duane Cyrus, and Virginia Dupont. Her training spans modern, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, and traditional West African dance, which enriches her dynamic movement vocabulary and artistic versatility.
During her time at UNCG, Asha performed works by prominent choreographers, including Ronald K. Brown, Jordyn Santiago, Gerri Houlihan, Chris Yon and Taryn Griggs, Michelle N. Gibson, Kate Walker, Moncell E. Durden, KT Williams, Elijah Motley, and Momar Ndiaye. Her stage presence has been featured with companies such as SUAH African Dance Theater, The Magic of African Rhythm, Justice Theater Project, and Collage Dance Company.
In 2024, Asha represented UNCG at the American College Dance Association, a testament to her dedication and artistry. Asha’s choreographic work has premiered at the Mary Coleman Dance Theater, reflecting her passion for storytelling through movement. She also co-choreographed and performed in Grammy-nominated artist Pierce Freelon’s music video My Body, showcasing her ability to blend conceptual artistry with impactful visuals. Her accomplishments extend to being a three-time recipient of the Leadership Award from the American Dance Festival, along with the Virginia Moomaw Dance Scholarship and the David and May Roberts Scholarship.
These recognitions reflect her commitment to growth and artistic excellence. Currently, Asha is dedicated to sharing her passion for dance as an instructor at BUMP: The Triangle, where she inspires the next generation of dancers through her expertise and love for movement. Looking forward, she continues to expand her artistic practice, using dance as a tool for connection, expression, and cultural dialogue.
GUEST ARTISTS FOR SPRING 2026
In 2023, Alyssa founded A. Noble Creative Solutions, which proudly provides marketing support to small businesses and artists in the Triangle. Alyssa is a passionate advocate for artist welfare and loves to partner with organizations that center community building, creativity, and equity.
Alyssa also currently co-directs and produces RECITAL, a joy-centered variety show series for working artists, held annually in Durham, NC. The 5th annual RECITAL will be in late 2026; more info coming soon!
Learn more about Alyssa at alyssanobledance.com and follow her work on Instagram – @ascho3, @RECITAL_Durham, +
Alyah Baker is a dance artist, scholar, and choreographer working at the intersection of art and embodied activism. She is an Assistant Professor of Dance at UNC Charlotte, where her research focuses on Black feminist aesthetic practices and community building through dance. Her pedagogical and choreographic research has been featured in local and national media, including Dance Teacher Magazine and The New York Times, and published in The Oxford Handbook of Ballet Pedagogy and Anti-Racism in Ballet Teaching. Baker earned her MFA in Dance(’21) and a B.A. in Sociology (’03) from Duke University.
She has trained and performed professionally with companies including Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Oakland Ballet, and Carolina Ballet. The American Dance Festival, Choreography Project, North Carolina Dance Festival, Elon University, and Oakland Ballet are among the platforms that have featured Baker’s choreographic works. Baker and her company, AB Contemporary Dance, were recipients of the 2023-2024 National Performance Network Creation and Development Fund and have received additional awards from the Kenan Institute of Ethics, the Center for Cultural Innovation, and the North Carolina Arts Council.
Sidra Bell is a renowned choreographer, dancer, performance artist, and the founder and artistic director of Sidra Bell Dance New York, an internationally recognized company known for innovative, progressive dance theater. With a career spanning over two decades, Bell has created more than 100 original works for major companies and institutions, including Ailey II, ODC/Dance, The Juilliard School, and New York City Ballet—where she made history as the first Black woman to choreograph for the company.
A former Master Lecturer at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Bell has also held academic positions at Harvard, University of Oklahoma, and Barnard, among others. Her pedagogical approach, Contemporary Systems—an interior & material approach, is internationally respected and has been featured in Dance Magazine and Dance Teacher Magazine. She is the creative director of MODULE, a NYC-based immersive laboratory for movement and theater artists.
She has collaborated with fashion and media outlets, including Interview Magazine, T Magazine, and Cero Magazine. She was featured on The Today Show in a segment “How choreographer Sidra Bell is blazing a trail for next generation: Groundbreaking dancer and choreographer Sidra Bell talks making history at the New York City Ballet and blazing a trail for future generations.” She received a Yaddo Artist Medal in 2025 alongside Langston Hughes and Jill Viney. Celebrated for her fearless exploration of form, identity, and innovation, Bell continues to be a powerful voice in contemporary performance.
Hélène Simoneau is a Guggenheim Fellow and a New York City Center Choreography Fellow. She was also a resident artist at Baryshnikov Arts Center, NYU/Tisch, NCCAkron, and a fellow of The NYU Center for Ballet and the Arts, Ailey’s New Directions Choreography Lab, the Bogliasco Foundation, and the Swiss International Coaching Project for Choreographers (SiWiC) in Zurich.
Most recently, she was awarded a Pillow Lab residency at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA and a residency at Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, and a creation residency at the 92nd Street Y in NYC. Simoneau was awarded first place for Choreography at the 13th Internationales Solo-Tanz-Theater Festival in Stuttgart, Germany, for her solo “the gentleness was in her hands.”
Her choreography has been commissioned by Oregon Ballet Theatre, The Juilliard School, Charlotte Ballet, PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, Vitacca Ballet, The Ailey School, BalletX, the 92nd Street Y, and the American Dance Festival. Hélène is originally from Luceville, a small village near Rimouski in Eastern Québec.
Kristi Vincent Johnson is a Louisiana-born author, choreographer, and filmmaker whose work explores the intersection of dance, film, and cultural storytelling. Her choreography has been commissioned by the Durham Symphony Orchestra, the Ernie Barnes Foundation, and the North Carolina Museum of Art, where she is a 2025 Artist-in-Residence. She is grateful to have received financial support from numerous organizations including the North Carolina Arts Council, Hayti Heritage Cultural Arts Center, and Trillium Arts, where she was awarded a 2024 Choreographic Fellowship in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Kristi holds an MFA in Dance from Texas Christian University and a doctorate from UNC Greensboro.
Currently, she serves as Assistant Professor and Director of Dance at North Carolina Central University where she founded the dance minor and established the Repertory Dance Company, cultivating the next generation of artists through interdisciplinary and embodied inquiry.
North Carolina Central University Dance Company
Parker Darby, a passionate dance enthusiast, choreographer, and teacher from Clover, South Carolina. With 17 years of experience in the dance world, she has been crowned with multiple titles in the competition scene, showcasing her skill and dedication. Parker has trained in a wide range of styles, including jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, ballet, contemporary, and lyrical. She also made her debut in the acting world, playing Iris in the NCCU Department of Theatre’s production of Fame (2025). Parker is currently majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Dance and this is her fourth year with the NCCU Repertory Dance Company.
Nyla Meekins from Detroit, Mi is a Psychology Major with a minor in Early Childhood Development. She is proficient in Jazz, Tap, Ballet and Contemporary Dance. Nyla has honed her skills by participating in competitions, conventions, and summer intensives, including prestigious programs such as American Ballet Theatre, Complexions, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Youth America Grand Prix, ADIBC, and many others. This is her third year with The Repertory Dance Company.
Hailey Johnson, a Fayetteville, NC native, is a sophomore Biomedical Sciences Major. For 16 years, she specialized in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and Tap. She trained at Cumberland Dance Academy, participating in classes and competitions. This is her second year with the Repertory Dance Company.
Kennedy Lightfoot is a dedicated dancer, choreographer, and leader from Waxhaw, NC, with a deep passion for community engagement and helping others. Kennedy trained at Central Academy of Technology and Arts and Charlotte Performing Arts Academy, gaining experience in contemporary, modern, ballet, jazz, and other various styles. In addition to her artistic pursuits, she is a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Financial Analytics and a minor in Dance. This is Kennedy’s fourth year dancing with the Repertory Dance Company.
KT COLLECTIVE PRODUCTION TEAM
Robert Duncan – Set Build
Jazmin China – Company Intern
William Holley – Lighting & Sound Designer
Jon Twietmeyer – Videographer & Photographer