Cortney Taylor Key

founding artistic director & EXECUTIVE Director

Cortney Taylor Key began her ballet training at 15 years old. She trained at the Northwest School of the Arts, BB dance Productions, and North Carolina School of the Arts. She then moved to New York City and trained at the Dance Theatre of Harlem.  After college, she also took the time to train privately with teachers Elena Kunikova, Willy Burmann, Stacey Calvert, and now Bethania Gomes, and Eva Draw to refine her technique and artistry.  

As a professional, Cortney has worked with many companies and choreographers, including Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance company Apprenticeship 2013, The Francesca Harper Project Apprenticeship 2015, Dance Theatre of Harlem PTP, Brooklyn Ballet Apprenticeship 2016-2018, The Arthur Mitchell Project 2017, Columbia City Ballet 2017-2018, Gleichdances 2017-2019, and Konverjdans  2018- present. Her repertoire includes an array of works such as The Brooklyn Nutcracker Marzipan, guest artist at Friends University as Clara in The Nutcracker, Square Game and Beach Birds by Merce cunningham, “Rhythmetron” by Arthur Mitchell, “D’man in the water” by Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and ‘Touch and Agree” by Juel D. Lane. She also guested with Collage Dance Collective for their production of Swan Lake.

“My story is not uncommon. The older I get the more I understand how common it is for a black dancer to begin seriously understanding the style of ballet. I started taking ballet class at 15 years old but it wasn’t until I was 19 and at school at North Carolina School of the Arts that I started to make a connection, and even later at 23 that I would wear pointe shoes. When I think about it today I recognize more that my contemporary training is merely an addition to my training and enhances my ballet technique. For years a connection was missing but at 30 years old I understand that I’m a better dancer because of my versatility, versus looking at it as ‘I don’t have enough ballet training in my life’.”