About Kemar

Kemar Jewel is a Black Queer Director and Choreographer from Philadelphia by way of New York City. Currently, he is obtaining his MFA in Directing from the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University. Kemar’s art has been seen in theatre, dance, opera, music videos, live tours, and in musical theatre. As a member of the Legendary House of Lanvin, Kemar, an alum of the Drama League Fellowship, draws inspiration from the Ballroom scene and his Caribbean upbringing. Kemar’s mission is to revamp classic stories by having them reflect the people in today’s society. Particularly, he is passionate about showcasing the magic of Blackness, Queerness, and their intersection through theatre, music and dance. Kemar believes that great stories teach the best lessons, and those stories should have everyone reflected in them. 

In addition to creating art, Kemar is also a very passionate educator and community leader. He has taught workshops and masterclasses on dance, theatre, and Black Queer history at various community centers, as well as Temple University, NYU, The Franklin Institute, and many other prestigious institutions and universities around the world. Kemar is the founder and artistic director of Xcel Dance Crew, a performance group that fuses voguing with other forms of dance and storytelling. At Yale, Kemar serves as a co-president of FOLKS, the Black affinity group for the school of drama (founded by Anglea Basset in 1981) that focuses on creating networks, new art, and safe spaces for Black artists. 

Kemar’s career reached new heights when he became an internet sensation in 2014 for his viral YouTube video Voguing Train. Over the years, his projects have garnered millions of views across various media platforms and have been featured by TIME, VOGUE, Huffington Post, NPR and in film festivals around the globe. Additionally, Kemar choreographed and performed in the music video Feel the Vibe for international recording artist Bob Sinclar and toured Europe with Sinclar’s Paris By Night tour. Jewel has also served as a dance consultant for Todrick Hall as well as a performer and choreographer for Taylor Mac. In 2022, Kemar’s project SOFT headlined the Global Black Pride event where his work was presented after the keynote speaker, President Joe Biden. Other credits include Signature Theatre, The Young Vic, The Guggenheim Museum, Portland Opera, the LANVIN fashion brand, and various other theaters across the country. For more information please visit Kemarjewel.com