Khamla Somphanh is a teaching artist, educator, dance maker, and mover. A humble student of life, she is deeply grateful to the William Male Foundation for supporting her current project—a personal inquiry into the mapping of destiny.

Currently faculty at San Diego Dance Theater and Mounarath-Powell Dance. Somphanh attained Certification in Theory and Practice of Horton Pedagogy from The Alvin Ailey School in NYC, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from Saint Mary’s College of California, and graduated from Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C.. In addition, she holds the position of Arts Coordinator at The Pacific View Arts Center.

Her choreographic works have been created for Wasatch Contemporary Dance, LITVAKdance, San Diego Dance Theater, Trolley Dances of San Diego, Malashock Dance Company, The PGK Project, Visionary Dance Theater, Diversionary Theater, San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, Lynch Dance Institute, Canyon Crest Academy, Carlsbad Performing Arts Academy, among others. Somphanh’s self-produced and co-produced works have been exhibited at ODC Commons, 10th Avenue Theater, Dorothea Laub Studio, and Black Box at Carlsbad Performing Arts.

Somphanh’s performing credits include ODC/San Francisco Dance Company, Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company, Na-Ni Chen Dance Company, East/West Repertory Ensemble, New World Dance Company, Soundance Dance Company, Malashock Dance Company to name a few. She has also performed as soloist for the San Diego Opera, Broadway production of “The King and I’ and lead dancer and Assistant Dance Captain for the 1st national touring company.

Photo by Doug McMinimy