Originally from Miami, Battle attended the Julliard school in New York. He danced for a time with .. David Parsons and eventually founded his own company, Battleworks in 2002. When Judith Jamison retired, she chose him to take the helm of the AAADT... he was perfect for the job.
Now that he is Artistic Director of one of the most successful dance companies in the world… one might wonder if he feels at all burdened by the weight of such a rich, African-American legacy. The Bronze Report's Jan Mabry asked him that very question when Cal Perfomances presented the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at Zellarbach Hall.