Kerri-Noelle Humphrey

Director of Programming, Alabama Dance Council

Kerri-Noelle Humphrey works as an independent teaching artist in Huntsville and Birmingham metro public schools and as the director of programming for the Alabama Dance Council. She holds notable recognitions, including a 2022 Arts Educator Fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the title of 2019-2020 Academy for Academics and Arts Middle School Teacher of the Year.

In 2021, she founded the Evalyn Washington Humphrey Foundation for Arts and Education, showcasing her dedication to advancing arts in education. During the 2022-2023 academic year, Humphrey collaborated with local arts organizations to launch a transformative dance outreach program that reached nearly 2,000 underserved K-3 students during regular school hours. This initiative demonstrated her ability to address educational disparities and aligned with the foundation's mission.

Her research, "Dancing the Diaspora...," listed on esteemed platforms such as Dancemagazine.com and DanceTeacher.com, was the catalyst for the annual Dance Africa festival in Huntsville, Alabama. Serving as the festival's visionary and founder, Humphrey passionately champions inclusivity and cultural representation. This free community dance festival doubles as an educational platform, elucidating the profound connection between West African dance and African American dance forms for students. Her academic achievements include a bachelors in Mathematics from Howard University, a masters from Barry University, and a masters in Dance Education from UNCO Greeley, which seamlessly integrates her diverse education into the arts and culture sector. Possessing an Alabama Professional Educator Certificate in Dance (P-12), she skillfully combines her academic background with her role as a dedicated educator in the dance community.