
Stephanie Martinez, Director of Choreography
Stephanie is a Chicago-based choreographer who has created for Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Milwaukee Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Bruce Wood Dance, Nashville Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, BalletX, Canada’s Alberta Ballet as well as for Chicago Shakespeare and the National Choreographers Initiative, among others.
She has created more than 60 ballets on companies and collegiate programs across the country. In 2010, Martinez assisted Broadway legend Ann Reinking in setting the Fosse Trilogy, and in 2015 was awarded Joffrey Ballet’s “Winning Works: Choreographers of Color” commission and the Chicago 3Arts Award in recognition for her work as a female artist of color.
More recently, Martinez was awarded an NEA grant for her premiere Bliss! at Joffrey Ballet. She is the founder and artistic director of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre in Chicago and was named DanceMagazine’s Top 25 to Watch in 2022 and more recently, one of Chicago’s New City 50 Players.
Learn more about Stephanie.

Darryl Hoffman, Director of Music
Darryl J. Hoffman (Bronx, NY native) is a composer, DJ, & Creative. With his life long love for music, he developed a curiosity for sound and began creating at the age of 13.
His previous compositions include; Kansas City Ballet for choreographer Stephanie Martinez in collaboration with cellist Desiree Miller (2016), Danceworks Chicago with choreography by Owen Scarlet (2016), Visceral Dance Chicago’s “Synapse”, choreographed by Nick Pupillo (2017), Minnesota Dance Theatre, choreographer, Darwin Black (2017), three Philadanco works choreographed by Anthony Burrell & Christopher Huggins (2018-2019), “Title lX” (2018) & “Victoria” (2019) choreographed by Ebony Williams – which premiered at Jacob’s Pillow, and works for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago & Ballet X choreographed by Princess Grace Award Recipient, Rena Butler (2018-2020).
Mr. Hoffman’s most recent works include, Paramar Dance Theatre’s Premier work entitled “Kiss”, choreographed by Stephanie Martinez – which was also performed by The Baltimore School Of The Arts (2020) and Thang Dao’s “Run(A)Way” – a Dance film for Kennesaw State University Dance company. This film won best original score at the “Frost Bite International Online Film Festival”. Mr. Hoffman expanded his creative horizons by serving as Musical director for Regional Dance America’s National Choreography Summer Intensive (2020).
In 2021 Mr. Hoffman created works for The Gibney Dance company, Whim W’him Seattle Dance Company & The Juilliard School – all choreographed by dance powerhouse Rena Butler. That same year, he became a 3Arts Chicago recipient of the 2021 “Make A Wave” award. The following year (2022) Darryl created works for Groundwork’s, Charlotte Ballet, American Ballet Theatre’s Second Company, along with his first international evening lengths work in Collaboration with Rena Butler entitled “CAVE” for Swedish Dance Company Norrdans. He currently serves as Music Director for The Paige Fraser Foundation. Darryl continues to live in his gift as he intends to shape the culture of music & dance with his passion for sound and in other aspects of the arts.