Hettie Vyrine Barnhill, is a choreographer-dancer raised in St Louis, Missouri. She started her dance career at the age of 3 at The Pelagie Green Wren Dance Studio. Barnhill made her Broadway debut in Fela!, a musical based on events in the life of groundbreaking Nigerian composer and activist

Fela Anikulapo Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997), also known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is regarded as the p ...

. Barnhill is a member of

Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority, international collegiate, and non-profit community service organization that was founded on November 12, 1922, by seven educators on the Irvington campus (1875–1 ...

sorority, one of the nine African-American sororities. Hettie Barnhill also participated in the

60x60 60x60 is a collection of 60 electroacoustic or acousmatic works from 60 different composers/artists, each work 60 seconds or less in duration. 60x60 project showcases sixty new works, each sixty seconds or less, by sixty composers in a continuous ...

project's 60x60 Dance at the World Financial Center

Winter Garden Atrium The Winter Garden Atrium is a 120-foot (36.6 m) tall 10-story glass-vaulted pavilion on Vesey Street in New York City's Brookfield Place (formerly World Financial Center) office complex. Designed by Diana Balmori, the Atrium was originally const ...

and at The Sheldon in her hometown St Louis, Missouri. In 2011, Hettie Barnhill became the dance coordinator for 60x60 Dance performances at Dance Parade in New York City and at The Sheldon in St Louis, Missouri. - "It's the perfect mixture of improv and structure with the marriage of movement and music," Barnhill said. In 2011 the NAACP honored Hettie Barnhill for her work as a singer, dancer, actress and choreographer. The award honors her achievement in arts and culture. Barnhill describes it as particularly meaningful because the entertainment business often focuses on looks, not character. "(That world) can be very superficial, and it can be taxing on your spirit," she said. "I know that's what I do, and I love it, but this award kind of makes it worth all the hardships that come with being an artist."http://www.fox2now.com/news/morningshow/kplr-20111005,0,5487606.story

Articles

''A Few Minutes With Hettie Barnhill''
Alive Magazine, October 5, 2011 4:48 pm

BND, Saturday, Oct. 01, 2011
St. Louis stars lend talent to ‘Fela!’on stage and through Original Cast Recording
By

Kenya Vaughn ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

Of The

St. Louis American ''The St. Louis American'' is a weekly newspaper serving the African-American community of St. Louis, Missouri. The first issue appeared in March 1928. In 1930, the newspaper started a "Buy Where You Can Work" campaign. Donald Suggs along with two ...

Wednesday, June 9, 2010
''Broadway Best - Hettie Barnhill of Fela! dances her way to the top of the world.''
BY KRISTA-ALANA TRAVIS Gotham Magazine

References

External links

Hettie Barnhill Official Website

Fela! Official Website Biography Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnhill, Hettie Vyrine Living people American female dancers Dancers from Missouri People from St. Louis Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American women