Cecil Slaughter was the founding artistic director of his company The Slaughter Project for from 2004 – 2015. And is currently the founding artistic director of the WUDance Collective.
Cecil Slaughter is a professor of the practice and the director of undergraduate studies in dance at Washington University. He is a choreographer, dancer, and sometimes actor. He received his dance training as a student at Jeraldyne's School of the Dance, and as an apprentice with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company in Dayton, OH. While attending Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, OH, he served as founder and director of the Wilberforce University Dance Ensemble.
He was the founding artistic director of his company The Slaughter Project for from 2004 – 2015. And is currently the founding artistic director of the WUDance Collective, the Performing Arts Department’s resident student dance company that performs throughout the St. Louis region.
His career as a professional dancer includes fourteen years with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company where he was a featured artist in many of the company's works by choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Ulysses Dove, Talley Beatty, Doug Varone, James Truitte, and a host of others. During his time with DCDC, Mr. Slaughter performed extensively throughout the United States and his international tours include South Korea, Russia, France, and Germany. The company has also been featured annually at such prestigious dance events such as Jacob's Pillow and the American Dance Festival. Cecil was a featured artist in many of the company's works. They include the "Junkie" in Eleo Pomare's Blues for the Jungle, Alvin Ailey’s Streams, Ulysses Dove's Urban Folk Dance, "lil Lou" in Donald McKayle's District Storyville, and a soloist in McKayle's Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulder.
Cecil has worked with several professional dance and theatre companies including the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company in collaboration with the Grammy Award winning a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock. The University of Iowa, University of Dayton, Dance Theater of Dayton, Opus II, Ballet West Virginia, and Gateway Dance Theater. He has also choreographed on several local companies that includes That Uppity Theater Company, Upstream Theatre, St. Louis Black Rep, Consuming Kinetics Dance Company, and MADCO. He has choreographed several productions for Washington University’s Performing Arts Department including Spring Awakening, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Hamlet and Metamorphoses. As an actor his theatre credits include Darker Face of the Earth, The Bow Wow Club, Caseload, The Merchant of Venice, Applause Applause, and Blues for Mr. Charlie.
Slaughter has had several works recognized for choreographic achievement. These include two works that were selected to be performed at the American College Dance Festival Association's national dance showcase, Spirituals 1998 and GRID 2007. Two nominations for Outstanding Choreographer, the 1998 ACDFA/Dance Magazine Award, and the 2014 St. Louis Theater Circle Award for his work with the St. Louis Black Rep on their 2013 production of The Wiz. In 2004 he was one of fourteen local choreographers commissioned by Dance St. Louis to create a work for Contemporary Moves, a dance concert commemorating the centennial celebration of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.
He has served consecutive terms as a Kevin Kline Theater Awards Judge, as well as a grants panelist for the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Missouri Dance Organization.
He has been a longtime member of the Missouri Dance Organization and is now serving on its board of directors.