The Company

Kesha McKey, (she/her) Artistic Director of KMDP, is a choreographer, educator and performing artist from New Orleans. She is a NOCCA alum receiving her BS from Xavier University of LA and her MFA in Dance Performance from UW-Milwaukee. Kesha is currently the Director of Arts and a Dance Instructor at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, a dance instructor for Team Pointe at Dancing Grounds and a UBW BOLD Facilitator. She has been a dance educator for over 25 years and is committed to sustaining the artistic voice of Black dancers and choreographers in New Orleans. Her recent performance credits include: Urban Bush Women’s Hair and Other Stories tour, Junebug Productions Gomela:to return tour, Junebug Productions Homecoming Project and the Lula Elzy N.O. Dance Theatre. Her recent choreographic credits include: NPN Conference Showcase, UBW SLI Opening, Women in Dance Conference, Junebug Production’s Power of the Black Feminine, Alternate Roots Week, Peridance APAP Showcase. Her recent awards include: 2022 Dance/USA DFA Fellowship, 2022 UBW CCI 2.0 CCI Alum, 2021-22 NPN Creation & Development Fund, 2020 CAC N.O. SweetArts Award, 2019 NEFA NDP Production Grant, a 2018/19 CAC Southern Crossings Artist Residency, and a 2016 Dancing While Black Fellowship.

Catherine Caldwell, (she/her) was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is a performing artist, choreographer, dance educator and anti-racist organizer holding a Master of Arts Degree in Arts Administration from the University of New Orleans. Catherine is the Associate Director of KM Dance Project, where she also serves as a choreographer, rehearsal director and performer. She received two Big Easy Awards in choreography and performance for her solo “IONO”. Catherine has spent over ten years in Dance Education, most recently as a member of the Dance Faculty at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) teaching dance in both the Dance and Musical Theater Departments. Currently, Catherine serves as the Director of Member Services at Dance/USA.