Craig D. Black Jr. (Rehearsal Director, he/they) from San Jose, CA is a dancer, educator, stager, and the Rehearsal Director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. He was appointed to this role in 2022 for the company’s 45th Anniversary: Sapphire Season.
At the age of ten Craig began dancing at South Bay Dance Center and continued his dance training at Abraham Lincoln High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. In 2011, Craig received his BFA from The Juilliard School. He obtained additional training at Springboard Danse Montréal, Nederlands Dans Theater, and the School at Jacob’s Pillow. Craig is a recipient of the 2010 Princess Grace Award in Dance as well as the 2011 Lorna Strassler Award for Student Excellence from the School at Jacob’s Pillow.
For six seasons Craig performed and toured with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet under the direction of Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty. In 2017, Craig joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago where he danced for five seasons before transitioning into the HSDC Rehearsal Director position. Now in his third season as rehearsal director, Craig has been a guest artist with HSDC, a guest rehearsal director for FLOCK, and a stager for Alejandro Cerrudo. He has had the privilege of dancing works by Kyle Abraham, Aszure Barton, Cherice Barton, Rena Butler, Alejandro Cerrudo, Peter Chu, Nacho Duato, Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, Rennie Harris, Johan Inger, Jirí Kylián, Fernando Melo, Robyn Mineko-Williams, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, and Cayetano Soto Ramirez among many others.
Craig has had the pleasure of co-choreographing and rehearsal directing Cardi B and Offset’s 2019 BET Awards performance as well as assisting Robyn Mineko-Williams with the official music video for Sen Morimoto’s Pressure on the Pulse.
Craig is a passionate teacher and mentor. He is certified in IMAGE TECH for Dancers™ introductory through advanced level. He has been a guest company class instructor for DanceAspen, Giordano Dance Chicago, and South Chicago Dance Theatre. Additionally, Craig is on faculty for Dupree Dance and has served as guest faculty for the Hubbard Street Professional Program, The Joffrey Academy, New York City Dance Alliance, Peridance Center, and Steps on Broadway.
