About. Company d
Darlene Winters
Artistic Director and Choreographer of Company d
Darlene Winters has combined her profession and her passion for dance for 30 years. She has her master's degree in Speech and Language Pathology and is a lifetime student of dance.
Through her work and community involvement, she has utilized her background in communication, dance, and drama through directing and choreographing stage productions for typical and special needs children. Darlene's career has been balanced between her work in private schools, contract work for the Memphis Speech and Hearing Center and the Memphis Arts Council through the years Darlene has spent many summers as a teaching artist for special kids in community programs, in addition to developing and implementing original summer camp programs, Express Yourself for typical school age children and Blabber Jabber for the preschool child. Both programs designed to utilize literacy as a springboard for teaching the basic elements of dance, heightening the young child’s imagination and oral language skills and building self-esteem through the arts. As a teaching artist through the Center for Arts Education Memphis Arts Council she conducted residencies for children of all ages in the Memphis City Schools and Head Start programs. Futhermore, she has presented in-services and conferences in the area of incorporating arts into the curriculum.
Although Darlene continues her private practice in speech-language pathology, her heart and spirit found its place to settle seven years ago with the dancers and parents of Company d. Darlene is currently the Artistic Director and choreographer for Company d. A performing arts troupe for young adults, ages 16-28 and Jr. Company d, ages 11-15. The Down Syndrome Association of Memphis sponsors Company d. Entering into its seventh year the members have continued to grow artistically through weekly classes, rehearsals and numerous performances locally, regionally and nationally. Company d members participate in summer camp annually. During this time, they receive instruction under guest artist in the area of dance, theater and the visual arts. The "master class" series was implemented in 2005. As a result, company members have most recently benefited from master teachers such as Karl Condon, Ballet Memphis, artistic director and ballet master, and Francis Roach, a "disciple" of Luigi jazz dance technique. To meet the needs of her dancers, Darlene continues to study dance by attending classes at Ballet Memphis, Giordano Jazz dance in Chicago with Luigi and Francis in New York.
Darlene continues her practice in speech-language pathology, but her heart and spirit found its settling place seven years ago with the dancers and parents of Company d.