Mr. Morse is a teacher, choreographer, and musician. Prior to joining the academy faculty, he danced for six seasons as a soloist with Cincinnati Ballet. After training under Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Darleen Callaghan, Mark Diamond, Patricia McBride, and Kathryn Moriarty he danced eight seasons with Charlotte Ballet. In his time there he danced numerous featured roles in the works of George Balanchine, Jiří Kylián, Dwight Rhoden, and Twyla Tharp as well as much of the classical repertory. His choreography has been performed throughout the United States by professional companies, universities, and pre-professional schools, and has been recognized by various awards and accolades. David has twice participated in sessions at the New York Choreographic Institute where he created new works on dancers of New York City Ballet and School of American Ballet. David has also created new works at Ballet Academy East and Pointe Park University.
In his time at Cincinnati Ballet David created several new works on the company. Most recently he was honored to create “Our Story” in partnership with the Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center. This one act ballet was a commemorative tribute to the victims of the Holocaust.
Since its inception in 2018 David has served as Program Director of Cincinnati Ballet’s Collegiate Summer Intensive; a partnership between Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy and the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. David was honored to be nominated for the Rolex Mentor Protégé Arts Initiative’s 2014-2015 cycle. Additionally, he has been nominated for the Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship.
Also an accomplished pianist, David has served as a ballet class accompanist for Cincinnati Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, The Chautauqua Institution, and Regional Dance America. He has also played as a guest accompanist for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Ballet Academy East, University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, and New York City Ballet. During the Covid-19 pandemic David served as the founding principal accompanist at the online ballet class platform @worldwideballetclass.
