Modern
Karen McDonald (she/her)
Director | Choreographer | Educator | Artist
Karen McDonald is a force in American dance whose legacy spans six decades across concert dance, theatre, commercial dance, and arts education. Born in St. Louis and raised in Los Angeles, she began dancing at the age of thirteen under the guidance of ballet teacher and mentor Carolyn Skyers. Though a latecomer to formal training, McDonald’s passion and discipline quickly distinguished her, earning her a full scholarship at age seventeen to the Dance Theatre of Harlem training program in New York City.
Describing her time in New York as “serendipitous,” McDonald trained with legendary figures including Arthur Mitchell, Karel Shook, James Truitte, Thelma Hill, Chuck Davis, and Tommie Johnson. It wasn’t long before she landed her first Broadway show Purlie, followed by her second Broadway show, Two Gentleman of Verona. She went on to become a principal dancer with NYC-based Modern Dance company, The George Faison Universal Dance Experience. Her professional relationship with Artistic Director George Faison later led to her being cast in the stage play of The Wiz, as a principal dancer for the national tour.
Upon returning to Los Angeles, McDonald transitioned into the commercial dance world and was cast in Michael Jackson’s iconic music video, “Thriller.” She went on to work with music artists such as Janet Jackson, El De Barge, and Lionel Richie while establishing her own creative voice in the LA Dance scene.
In 1979, she founded The New Age Dance Workshop, a company committed to dance as a vehicle for artistic rigor, spiritual inquiry, and community reflection. The company became a nexus for professional dancers from LA and New York, drawn to McDonald’s weekly workshops and her growing creative methodology—now known as “The McDonald Method.” For over twenty years, her company explored thought-provoking, embodied works that bridged personal transformation and community impact.
Her choreographic imprint became a fixture in the LA dance and theatre scene. McDonald earned an N.A.A.C.P. Image Award for “Best Choreography” for Show Girls and choreographed productions such as Voices, Bigger Than Bubble Gum (Pasadena Playhouse), a revived Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, and Jezebel at the Vision Theatre. In 2003, she was again nominated for an Image Award for her work on Dark Legends in Blood.
Her calling as a practitioner eventually led her to education and academia as a way to continue the legacy of her mentors and invigorate the next generation with the power of dance, just as others had done for her as a young girl. She joined the faculty of her alma mater Dorsey High School, where she would lead the dance program alongside colleague Bernice Jackson for 18 years.
Over the span of four decades, Karen continued developing and enriching the standard of K-12 dance curriculum with the goal of preparing young students for careers in dance far beyond the LA Dance landscape. During her 25 years as Co-Director of the Hamilton High School Dance program, she mentored and trained generations of students, some of whom went on to The Julliard School, University of the Arts (Philadelphia), Boston Conservatory, Fordham, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Alonzo King’s Lines, The Martha Graham Company, Complexions, Philadanco, and Broadway. Her role as an educator in the Los Angeles Unified School District was further expanded when she became Director of the LAUSD Saturday Conservatory for the Performing Arts, a program offering free dance and music training to students, grades 3-12. McDonald served 17 years as Director of The LAUSD Saturday Conservatory.
A recipient of the Lester Horton Award for Excellence in Teaching (2002), McDonald has been on faculty at UCLA, Cal Arts, Loyola Marymount University, Cal State LA, and El Camino College. She is currently in her 23rd year on faculty at Santa Monica College, where she teaches courses in Modern/Contemporary Dance Technique, and Repertory & Performance.
In 2017, McDonald’s artistry found a new expression when she was featured as a model in Beyoncé’s IVY PARK campaign. What began as a single opportunity evolved into a modeling career, with campaigns for Nordstrom, Athleta, KENZO, and the 2024 SIRIUS XM “Closer” commercial, which premiered during the Oscars. Of this unexpected second act, McDonald says, “I never could’ve imagined this at this stage in my life… it’s been an unbelievable experience.”
Her life and work have been celebrated in publications such as Beauty Is Experience: Dancing Over 50, Tonal, Icons and Instincts, Essence Magazine, and The Los Angeles Sentinel. She is currently in her 13th year as Director of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy and her 25th year as DADA teaching faculty. Despite her demanding schedule, she still finds time to maintain her own practice through her Moving Art Workshop; A biweekly collaborative gathering of dance artists, visual artist, musicians, and writers.
Karen McDonald’s career has been regarded as a blueprint of vision, perseverance, and evolution. Her dedication and influence as a teacher, choreographer, and mentor continues to shape generations of artists, proving that movement is not only a form of expression—but a way of life.