Yanford, Derrick

Derrick Yanford began his formal training in a local studio of his hometown Southwick, Massachusetts, where he studied ballet, jazz, tap, and acrobatics with his teacher Brenda Barna. After furthering his dance education at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Derrick began his professional career and has had the pleasure of performing with Ballet Hispanico of New York, Battleworks Dance Company, The Joffrey Concert Dancers, Northern Connecticut Ballet, and Koresh Dance Company.

Additional performance credits include the First National Tour of “Footloose” and “A Few Good Men DANCIN’…”, the European Tours of “Evita” and “West Side Story”, Walt Disney World’s “Kids of the Kingdom” and Radio City Music Hall’s “Christmas Spectacular”, as well as the World Premiere of the Opera “Le Cid” starring Placido Domingo.

Derrick has also gained recognition as a choreographer and has had his work commissioned by ABC Television for the “Boscov’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”, the 2000 Republican Convention, “Sunoco’s Welcome America’s 4th of July Parade”, the “Barrymore Awards”, “76er’s Dance Team” and the “Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Millennium Kick-Off” to name a few.

While currently residing in New York City, Derrick serves as the Artistic Director of the newly formed company Bridge Dance Concepts; is on faculty at Connecticut College and the National Theater Institute; and freelances as a choreographer, master class teacher and adjudicator for major dance organizations throughout the United States and Canada.