Cherice Barton is a choreographer, director, creative producer, and educator based in Los Angeles and New York City. Her dynamic, non-linear path in the arts has led her to create work across dance, television, film, live entertainment, and education. A former contemporary ballet dancer with a decade-long international touring career, she rose to prominence as the resident choreographer for Franco Dragone’s Le Rêve, the long-running cirque spectacle in Las Vegas.
Her choreographic portfolio includes credits with The Grammy Awards, America’s Got Talent, Lucasfilm Animation, NBC’s Bring the Funny, Dancebreak Broadway Showcase, Vitacca Ballet, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, BJM Danse, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway, the Spotlight Grand Finale at the Music Center in Los Angeles, and collaborations with artists such as Katy Perry, George Lucas, Julie Taymor and Jeremy Scott.
As an educator, Cherice has served as a guest choreographer and instructor at The Juilliard School, NYU Tisch, Pace University, Marymount Manhattan College, SUNY Purchase, Loyola Marymount University, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Monica College, and The Boston Conservatory. She has also taught at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, and she currently serves on supplemental faculty at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Her students have gone on to perform in Hamilton, Sleep No More, Hello Dolly, Chicago, and West Side Story and more on Broadway; on screen in Euphoria, Fosse/Verdon, Rent Live, In the Heights, and West Side Story; with leading contemporary companies including Hubbard Street, LA Dance Project, and NDT II; and on commercial stages with artists such as Lorde and Katy Perry. Many now serve as assistants to world-renowned choreographers such as Sonya Tayeh and Ryan Heffington.
Cherice is also the co-founder of Axis Connect, the bi-coastal nonprofit educational platform she built with her sister Charissa Barton. The initiative bridges the gap between emerging artists and the professional dance industry, fostering mentorship, networking, and community for the next generation of creators. Her teaching philosophy reflects her family’s deep understanding of the demands of today’s industry, emphasizing artistry, adaptability, and innovation. She is passionate about developing well-rounded artists who are open to multiple career paths, skilled at collaboration, and committed to pushing the boundaries of the field.
Currently, Cherice is the recipient of the Dancer Transition Resource Centre’s Retraining Grant, supporting her evolving focus on creative direction for live and televised entertainment. She is also the co-host of Creative Mamas Unplugged, a podcast supporting parents in creative industries.
With over 20 years of experience spanning 30 countries and six continents, Cherice continues to inspire through her teaching, mentorship, and creative leadership. Her classes—often titled contemporary fusion or contemporary jazz—invite dancers on a journey of storytelling and discovery. While physically demanding, they go beyond technique, encouraging artists to explore the why of movement, to embrace their individuality, and to ask the fundamental question: what moves you?
“The Barton sisters have a wonderful grasp on how to train and inspire artists of the 21st century, connecting rigorous practice with exploration and innovation.”
– Alicia Graf Mack, Director, The Juilliard School Dance Division
LOS ANGELES 
