Dance Theatre of Harlem Company Artist Derek Brockington to deliver 63rd Interlochen Arts Academy commencement address
A 2015 graduate of the Academy, Brockington performed with the Grand Rapids Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet before joining Dance Theatre of Harlem in 2018.
Dance Theatre of Harlem Company Artist Derek Brockington (IAA 13-15, ICA St 13-14, IAC St 15) will deliver the commencement address to the Class of 2025 during Interlochen Arts Academy’s 63rd commencement ceremony. The event will take place Saturday, May 24 at 10 a.m. at Kresge Auditorium.
Born in Chicago and raised in Michigan, Brockington received his ballet training at Grand Rapids Ballet School, Interlochen Arts Academy, Ballet West, and the Pennsylvania Ballet Summer Intensives. He joined Dance Theatre of Harlem in 2018 after stints with the Grand Rapids Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet. In addition to his role as a Company Artist, Brockington also serves as the company’s Social Media Coordinator and co-created the viral “Dancing Through Harlem” video, which was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Brockington has performed principal roles in works by George Balanchine and Robert Garland, among others, and his choreography has been featured in Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Sunday matinee performances.
The commencement ceremony will also feature remarks and performances by the Academy’s 2025 Senior Speaker and Senior Performer honorees. Musical Theatre major Isabel Fuzi (IAA 22-present) has been selected as the 2025 Senior Speaker. Senior Performer Sasha Townend (IAC 21-22, IAA 23-present), a Popular Music Performance major, will perform Noah Kahan’s “You’re Gonna Go Far” with the Academy’s Popular Music Ensemble.
Each year, Interlochen Arts Academy celebrates the multifaceted artistic and academic talents of Arts Academy seniors through the selection of one Senior Speaker and one Senior Performer. All seniors are eligible to apply for these honors. Candidates participate in a rigorous application and audition process led by a selection committee composed of faculty, administrators, and students.
