Contemporary West Dance Theatre
Contemporary West Dance Theatre is an award-winning contemporary dance company known for combining classical and modern technique with narratives rooted in the African Diaspora. Founded in 2007 by Bernard H. Gaddis and Charmaine Hunter, the company has earned national recognition for work that is emotionally direct, socially engaged, and physically powerful.
CWDT’s repertoire includes works by major American choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Ulysses Dove, Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish, Donald Byrd, Thang Dao, and Milton Myers.
CWDT tours nationally and internationally with flexible repertory programs and residency offerings, including landmark American works, new commissions, and its ongoing women’s choreographic series. The company also offers a seasonal holiday production, A Cool Yule Spectacular, designed for family audiences.
Educational and community engagement are central to CWDT’s touring model. Residency options include K–12 programming, pre-professional university intensives, choreographic residencies, and community workshops that support presenters, grant requirements, and long-term audience development.
Partial Touring Repertory:
A-Pocalysis (New Work by Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish and Bernard H. Gaddis)
Ebony Concerto
Fraternus/Brethren Part 1
JOY
Mood Azule
Steveland
Starburst
Tinder Moments
Vespers
BERNARD H. GADDIS
Founder, Artistic Director
Under Gaddis’ leadership, Contemporary West Dance Theatre has built a repertory that blends athleticism, theatricality, and musical sensitivity. He has been recognized for his choreographic contributions, including the prestigious award for Men Making a Difference in Philadelphia presented to him by Senator Chucka Fattah, and continues to shape the company’s evolving artistic voice.
Bernard is also currently a Principal Dancer and Choreographer for Cirque Du Soleil’s Las Vegas shows Zumanity and Mystère. Previously, he was Principal Dancer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater under the artistic directorship of the renowned dancer and choreographer Ms. Judith Jamison.
He has performed such works as Revelations, Memoria, Episodes, and A Hymn for Alvin Ailey, and had the privilege of being the AGMA union representative. He has traveled throughout the world and performed for the Queen of England, Nelson Mandela, and the former President of the United States, Bill Clinton, and has performed in famous theaters such as the Paris Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Metropolitan Opera House, The Kennedy Center Theater, The Lincoln Center Theater, The Tivoli Theater Copenhagen, and The Bolshoi Theater.
Bernard also joined the L.A. cast of the Broadway musical The Lion King as a lead dancer and chorus singer, where he worked with renowned director Julie Tamour. He has successfully produced, directed, and choreographed two sold-out benefit concerts (Dance for Life 1 and II), raising money for women with breast cancer and Children living with HIV and Aids, in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
He has performed with various companies as a Guest artist, such as Oakland Ballet, Ballet Pacifica, and The Koresh Dance Co. The Pennsylvania Ballet and the Paris Company Zingaro. He has had the privilege of having ballets created and remounted on him by renowned choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, Talley Beatty, Ulysses’ Dove, Jerome Robins, Donald Mc Kayle, Garth Fagan, Geoffrey Holder, Gene Hill Sagan, Lester Horton, Lynn Taylor Corbett, Brenda Way, Lar Lubovitch, Hans Van Manen, Jawole Willa Jo Pillar, Ronald K. Brown, Milton Myers, Dwight Roden, Katherine Dunham, Billy Wilson, Elisa Monte and Pearl Primus.
He has been taught by some of the most famous teachers in the world, such as Ms. Marion Cujett, Ms. Delores Brown, Ms. Sandra Fortune, Maurice Bejart, and Katharine Dunham. Jose Mier, Frank Hatchett & Jimmy Truitt. Mr. Gaddis’ abilities extend into Modeling and television, being a Guest Artist for The Young & the Restless, a repeat guest for The Jay Leno Show, The Lady of Soul Awards, and Home & Garden TV. Arsenio Hall, The Sinbad Show, and featured Artist for The GLAAD Awards.
His modeling credits show he has worked with some of the top photographers of our time: Jack Mitchell, Howard Schatz, Scott Ashton, Andrew Eccles, Marc Bapitse, Lois Greenfield.
He has been featured in British GQ, ZINK, Essence, Time, Newsweek, Dance Magazine, Dancer Magazine, & Vogue. His photography was published in The International Library of Photography for his photo dancers “Bodies in Motion.” He is a Master Teacher in Horton, Ballet, Dunham, and African dance, and gives lectures at various universities and colleges around the United States.
Press
"My heart soared with emotions so powerful I was surprised. I do not remember ever being so moved when watching a dance performance. “Each number was a work of art. In one set, six ladies did a dance routine with chairs that were superlative on many levels. The execution was perfect. The multi-level choreography was intricate and divided into several parts. It was brilliant."
— LV Review Journal
“A champion of multiculturalism in dance… the company brings a rousing, sexy, and emotional blend of old and new to the stage.”
— Kristen Peterson, Las Vegas Weekly
“A wonderful show perfect for concert hall or showroom stage. It proved that live, talented people still provide the best entertainment of all.”
— Hal De Becker, The Las Vegas Review-Journal
Step into the world of Contemporary West
Cool Yule Holiday Spectacular