BILLY JAMES HAWKAINS, III, Artist + Educator.
Graduate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (MFA, ’21) and BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Billy began his professional performing career with Theatre of Movement in 2017 and has since collaborated as a dancer and Rehearsal Assistant to Artistic Director Duane Cyrus. Billy continues to collaborate with the organization through the Black Network — a band of artists, professionals and activists promoting funding opportunities and growth within the global black community. In addition to working with Theatre of Movement, Billy has performed works by Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, Doug Varone, Juel D. Lane, and most recently, Veronica Silk.
In 2021, Kennesaw State University welcomed him as the newest Limited-term Assistant Professor of Dance where he teaches a variety of courses from Modern, African Contemporary, Safety Release, Choreography, Improvisation, and his self-designed course, Dance Entrepreneurship, enriching artists with tools to reach beyond the stage and into multiple arenas of the field of dance.
As he continues to perform and teach throughout the city of Atlanta, Billy is thrilled to be named DanceATL’s Community Engagement Coordinator and make an impact by serving as the connecting thread between various arts communities and organizations here in Atlanta, GA!