Donald Byrd became Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater in 2002. He has created over 80 works for modern dance companies, including Spectrum, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Philadanco, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Ailey II. Mr. Byrd has also choreographed for classical dance companies including Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, Aterballetto, MaggioDanza di Firenze, and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Mr. Byrd has served on the faculty of the California Institute for the Arts and taught at Wesleyan University, School of Visual Arts, Harvard Summer Dance Program, California State University Long Beach, and the University of California at Santa Cruz. He was also on the Board of Trustees for Dance Theater Workshop in New York. In 2006, Mr. Byrd received a Tony nomination for his choreography for The Color Purple.