When Joshua Blake Carter first stepped onto a stage, he wasn’t dreaming of becoming an artistic director. In fact, he wasn’t even dreaming of being a dancer. As a student at a performing arts high school in Georgia, Carter initially set his sights on a career in acting. But fate—and an insistence from his teachers that musical theater required movement—had other plans.
“I had never danced before,” Carter recalls. "I was going to be an actor, but if you wanted to get into musicals, you had to know how to dance.”
That simple requirement ignited a passion that would shape the rest of his life. Carter threw himself into dance, despite having no prior experience and starting at an advanced level. He remembers the struggle vividly: “I remember my first day of class—I went to kick my leg and fell flat on my back,” he says with a laugh. “The other students had been dancing for years. But from that moment on, I was hooked.”
A Relentless Pursuit of Excellence
Carter’s determination led him to the University of Arizona, one of the top dance programs in the country, where he honed his choreography skills. By the time he graduated, he had already received his first professional commission—an early validation of the creative voice that would define his career.
After college, Carter spent 14 years in Chicago, steadily climbing the ranks at Giordano Dance Chicago. He started in the second company, moved to the main company after just one year, and soon found himself directing the second company while still performing. Eventually, he transitioned into an administrative role, managing operations while continuing to shape the artistic vision of the organization.
When the opportunity arose to take the helm at Dance Kaleidoscope, it felt like destiny. Carter had worked with DK before and knew the caliber of the dancers and the integrity of the organization. It was a rare opportunity—one he couldn’t pass up. “These positions don’t come along very often,” he says. “Once I applied, I realized how much I wanted it. And here we are.”
Expanding the Artistic Vision
As the artistic director of Dance Kaleidoscope, Carter is driven by a singular goal: making the company an indispensable part of Indianapolis’s cultural fabric. “I want people to know who we are,” he says. “I want Dance Kaleidoscope to be the kind of company that people around the country look at and say, ‘What are they doing?’”
Part of that mission involves diversifying the voices that shape Dance Kaleidoscope’s performances. Carter is committed to bringing in more female choreographers, artists of color, and creators whose perspectives have traditionally been underrepresented in the dance world.
This season, Dance Kaleidoscope has welcomed a slate of guest choreographers, a bold and financially ambitious move for a nonprofit organization. The results have been promising—new audiences are attending performances, and DK’s reach is expanding.
“We had Janice Rosario last year, and her open rehearsal was the most attended we’ve ever had,” Carter shares. “People were standing in the hallway. We had to completely reconfigure the space. It showed us there’s a demand for fresh, exciting perspectives.”
Taking Creative Risks
While Dance Kaleidoscope is in a strong position, Carter knows that true artistic progress requires calculated risks. His approach blends respect for the company’s legacy with an eagerness to push boundaries. “I inherited a really successful organization, but we’re in a new era,” he says. “We need to embrace that by taking chances.”
One of his most challenging works to date was Shaker Loops, a 27-minute piece set to music by John Adams. The intricate, shifting meters in the composition made it one of the most difficult scores Carter had ever choreographed to.
“There are some pieces where you can find the counts easily,” he explains. “This wasn’t one of them. It took me almost five weeks, which is a long time for me.”
Despite the difficulty, Shaker Loops was a triumph, further cementing Carter’s reputation as an innovative choreographer who is unafraid of tackling complex material.
Bridging the Gap with Younger Audiences
Like many arts organizations, Dance Kaleidoscope faces the challenge of attracting younger patrons. Carter is determined to change the perception that contemporary dance is intimidating or inaccessible.
“One of the biggest hurdles is convincing people that dance is for them,” he says. “I see young people spend hundreds of dollars on concerts and entertainment, yet they hesitate at a $35 ticket to a world-class dance performance. My goal is to shift that mindset.”
One strategy he’s implemented is personally inviting new audiences to experience a performance firsthand.
“When I meet people who have never been to a Dance Kaleidoscope show, I invite them as my guest,” he says. “The deal is, if they love it, they have to come back on their own. And they do.”
Dance Kaleidoscope is also exploring new marketing approaches. This year, Carter made a bold move by eliminating traditional dance images from promotional materials. Instead, posters and advertisements focus on expressive portraits of dancers in motion—capturing emotion rather than technique.
“Dance is already in our name,” he explains. “I don’t need to show people a perfectly posed image. I want them to see the relationships, the movement, the energy.”
The Road Ahead
With two major productions left in the season, Carter is looking forward to showcasing the voices of two female choreographers: Tsai Hsi Hung and Autumn Eckman.
Hung, whose background includes training in karate and Tai Chi, brings a unique fusion of movement styles to her choreography. Eckman, a former mentor to Carter, has deep roots in contemporary jazz and has worked with some of the most prestigious dance companies in the country.
“These are two incredibly different voices,” Carter says. “It’s going to be exciting for our dancers and our audiences.”
Beyond this season, Carter is already planning ahead. He’s working with local composer Jordan Munson on an original piece—one that might include live electronic music performed on stage. He’s also committed to deepening Dance Kaleidoscope’s connection with Indianapolis through community engagement and collaborations with other arts organizations.
Ultimately, Carter’s vision for Dance Kaleidoscope is about more than just great performances—it’s about cultivating a dance culture that is vibrant, inclusive, and deeply rooted in the city’s artistic landscape. “We’re in a great place,” he says. “But I don’t want us to be a well-kept secret. I want Dance Kaleidoscope to be a company that people know, respect, and can’t wait to see.” And with Carter at the helm, there’s little doubt that Dance Kaleidoscope’s brightest days are yet to come.
Photos by Lora Olive, Fernando Rodriguez and Jeremy Kyle
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