Artistic Director David Hochoy Retired

David Hochoy was hired as the Artistic Director in 1991 when co-artistic directors Cherri Jaffe and Ginger Hall retired. Prior to joining DK, he spent two years as a full-time faculty member at Texas Christian University. Born in Trinidad, West Indies he received a B. Sc. at McGill University in Montreal, where he began studying for a career as a doctor, and continued his graduate work in theater earning an M.A. in Directing from Penn State. It was there, at age 20, David took his first dance class and discovered his true love of dance.

In New York, he studied at the Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham schools and danced with numerous national companies. In 1980, he was invited to join the Martha Graham Dance Company. He was promoted to soloist in 1982 and rehearsal director in 1986 and toured the world with Graham until 1989. He has given master classes in the Graham technique throughout the world and he remains on the faculty of the Martha Graham School.

Throughout David’s career he has highlighted the wealth of artistic talent in Indianapolis by partnering with institutions such as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, American Pianists Association and the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. He was a founder/co-artistic director of Spotlight, the annual fundraiser for the Indiana Aids Fund that unites all of the Indianapolis performing arts groups. Under his direction, the company also enjoyed a 10-year residency at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

David has brought more than sixty dancers to Indianapolis from across the nation. The majority of these dancers stayed in Indianapolis beyond their dance career with DK to go on to open their own studios or start their own company or creative endeavor. Additionally, David has supported the creative passions of company members by allowing them to choreograph and present their works at the IndyFringe Festival and on the main stage since 2008. 

Since becoming Artistic Director at Dance Kaleidoscope, David has choreographed over seventy dances including audience favorites Carmina Burana, Magical Mystery Tour, and Scheherazade, all of which are a part of his final season with Dance Kaleidoscope.

In recent years David led a successful capital campaign, alongside former executive director Jan Virgin and current executive director Kim Gutfreund, to create an artistic home for Dance Kaleidoscope.