Fredrick Davis (dancer) facts for kids

Fredrick Eric Davis (born March 27, 1986) is an amazing American ballet dancer. He used to dance with the famous Dance Theatre of Harlem. His journey to becoming a ballet star is very inspiring!

Fredrick's Early Life and Dance Start

Fredrick Eric Davis was born in Brooklyn, New York. When he was young, he moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee with his mother. Life was sometimes tough, and they didn't always have a stable home. Luckily, caring adults helped him, and he was later adopted by his grandmother, Evie Luvina Dill.

His grandmother really encouraged Fredrick to explore art. She helped him get involved in her church. After she passed away, a kind pastor and his wife, Dr. John Mingus, Sr. and Kim Hunt, took care of him.

Fredrick started dancing when he was eleven years old in 1998. He joined a dance program called Dance Alive. He was so talented that he won a special scholarship! This scholarship helped him pay for his dance lessons. He also took dance classes at the Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts.

After high school, Fredrick was invited to study at the famous Joffrey Ballet School. He trained there from 2004 to 2007. During his summers, he also trained with other top ballet companies like American Ballet Theatre and Boston Ballet.

Fredrick's Amazing Dance Career

Fredrick Davis first danced with the Roxey Ballet Company. Then, in 2008, he joined the incredible Dance Theatre of Harlem. While there, he performed many important roles!

He danced the main male part in a ballet called New Bach. He also performed a special duet from Swan Lake. Fredrick also danced in ballets like Return by Robert Garland and Agon by George Balanchine. He even performed in The Lark Ascending by Alvin Ailey. He showed off his skills at the famous Jacob's Pillow Dance festival.

After leaving Dance Theatre of Harlem in 2015, Fredrick continued to dance all over the country. He went on a Dance for America tour. He was a special guest dancer with Dallas Black Dance Theatre. He even performed at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C.!

Fredrick has also danced with many other ballet companies. These include Roanoke Ballet Theatre and Greensboro Ballet. Today, he is a main guest artist at Ballet Tennessee and Ballet Tucson. This means he often performs as a special star in their shows!

His Inspiring Story

Fredrick's life story is so inspiring that it became a documentary! The film is called From the Streets to the Stage: The Journey of Fredrick Davis. It was shown for free at the Tivoli Theatre.

The documentary was made by Ann Cater from PBS. It was filmed by an Emmy Award-winning team from WTCI. Fredrick also received a special award from the Mayor of Chattanooga, Andy Berke, and the Mayor of Hamilton County, Jim Coppinger. They recognized his amazing achievements and inspiring journey!