Darrell Moultrie grew up in Harlem, where the art of dance became ingrained in him whether he wanted it to or not.

“There is nothing like expressing yourself through your body,” Moultrie said. “It’s a freedom you have.”

Moultrie took that passion and turned it into a successful career, one that led him to Broadway where he has co-starred with pop singer Toni Braxton. He has also choreographed national commercials and worked on the Dave Chappelle Show.

“From an educator’s point of view, it is vital that they (the students) are being exposed to someone who is currently working in the field,” Wichita State dance instructor Cheyla Clawson said.

It was Clawson, along with WSU director of dance Nick Johnson, who recruited Moultrie to come to WSU last week to work with the dance students.

“I knew it would be a great experience to get to work with somebody who has lived in New York,” senior Ali Deering said. “It’s such a different world there. Dancing is a lot more strict and more cutthroat.”

Clawson met Moultrie when she was a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma. Their relationship grew, and she was able to eventually nab Moultrie, someone The New York Times described as being “someone to watch,” into taking the time to work with WSU students.

His visit was short—he arrived on Sept. 16 and left on Saturday—but during that time, Moultrie wanted to make a difference in the young dancers’ lives.

“I’m hoping to give them as many secrets and tidbits about the business and about their careers and how they carry themselves,” he said. “They (the students) are great to work with in rehearsals. They have great energy and everyone wants to learn.”

Auditions were held last week to get to work with Moultrie, with the rest of the time spent learning a new work Moultrie choreographed and is giving to WSU to perform. With Moultrie gone, Clawson is responsible for fine-tuning the work, which the students will present at the Kansas Dance Festival in November.

“She has the hard job,” Moultrie said. “She has to listen to everything I’m saying and when I leave make sure it keeps its integrity.”

But more importantly than setting a new work, Moultrie’s visit exposed the dance students to professional dance at a national level.

“It’s made me want it even more,” Deering said. “It’s made me ready to graduate and get out there.”