In Memoriam of Darius Barnes

We were deeply saddened this past July to learn of the passing of SAB alumnus and former New York City Ballet dancer Darius Barnes at the age of 34.

Described by many as a “radiant energy” both on and off the stage, Darius was a trailblazing, multi-hyphenated dancer, choreographer, director, and community organizer whose unexpected loss was felt across the world of dance and theater. He most recently was preparing to be an associate choreographer for the upcoming Broadway show Kimberly Akimbo.

Darius was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and began his performance training at the young age of six after his mother recognized his aptitude for performance and placed him in ballet. He attended the Peabody Middle School and the Sudwerk Arts Center and began studying at the Elmhurst School of Ballet at age 12. He went on to attend the Baltimore School for the Arts and spent summers training with Kirov Ballet Academy and the Chautauqua Institute, where he would meet future SAB classmates like Meagan Mann (now a member of the School’s faculty). He began his training at SAB in the fall of 2004 and received the Rudolf Nureyev and Estelle Dennis scholarships. While at the School, Darius’s talent continued to blossom, appearing in the 2006 and 2007 Workshop Performances and participating in our annual Student Choreography Workshop.

“Darius was a very special person with a wonderful personality, as well as a dynamic dancer and artist. He was always fun to be around and had an easy, cool presence. In the dorms, my friends and I loved to visit Darius’s suite… [He] and Matthew Renko were always studying old ballet videos on repeat. Matt would often be dancing the female variation of something, causing Darius to cackle from the entertainment. His laughter was infectious. Darius was a friend to many and never limited himself to one friend group or another, as evidenced by the vast number of people who were so deeply impacted by his passing. Wherever Darius was, it was sure to be a good time.” –Meagan Mann, SAB Faculty Member

He was offered an apprenticeship with New York City Ballet in 2007 and promoted to the corps the following year. After two years with the company, Darius moved on to different opportunities. He “[always] had a plan. He knew what he could do and who he was,” said his friend and mentor, Maurice Brandon Curry (Executive Artistic Director at Eglevsky Ballet and a member of SAB’s Alumni Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion).

“I met Darius in his first year in the company. He was on stage performing, and there was just this light around the kid. It just knocked me out. I got a message to him and said, ‘I see you, and I know what it took to get you there. If there’s anything you need, just reach out. From that moment on, he would always call me his ‘Uncle’.” –Maurice Brandon Curry, SAB alumnus and Executive Artistic Director at Eglevsky Ballet

Maurice would stay in Darius’s life as he moved on to perform with Suzanne Farrell Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlem and to appear in a multitude of Broadway shows including Mean Girls, Memphis, Kiss Me Kate, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, and Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella. He also made his Off-Broadway debut in The New Group’s revival of Sweet Charity and appeared in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Guthrie, the world premiere of The Sting at Paper Mill Playhouse, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying at the Kennedy Center, and Cabin In The Sky for New York City Center Encores!

In addition to his many performing accolades, Darius still found time to give back to his community, teaching masterclasses at MovesNYC, the Baltimore School of the Arts, Broadway Dance Center, Operation Triple Threat in Barbados, and the Greenwich Dance Studio. Darius was also the Associate Executive Producer, Associate Creative Director, Choreographer, Writer, and Editor of the inaugural Antonyo Awards, which honors Black theater artists and their contributions to the American theater.

In 2019, Darius joined our Alumni Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, where he became a vital resource to our students and team on current industry trends and experiences. In the summers of both 2021 and 2022, he appeared on our virtual panel discussions, Conversation with Members of SAB’s Alumni Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion & Visiting Faculty Co-Chairs for our Summer Course students and was a speaker for our 2021 Capstone Alumni Panel. In these discussions, it became clear that Darius was a perfect ambassador on the limitless possibilities and uses of SAB training outside of ballet. Our Girls D and Advanced Men students also saw him perform in Fire Shut Up in My Bones at The Metropolitan Opera in 2021 as part of SAB’s Cultural Program.

“He was always generous, always willing to make time even if he did not have time––super dedicated to young people. It was clear from the beginning how invested he was in paying it forward for his students and especially young dancers of color.” –Elise Drew León, SAB Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion