In the Classroom: Ricky Hinds
Sometimes the stars align and working professionals from outside of the New York-metro region have geographical and schedule alignment that allow them to work with LIHSA students. It was just that kind of “pinch-me” moment in time, in February and March 2026, that LIHSA students worked with with Director and Choreographer Richard (Ricky) J. Hinds.
Growing up in Connecticut, Ricky studied at D’Valda & Sirico Dance & Music. Passionate about performing, he then attended Interlochen arts Academy in Michigan for his last three years in high school, studying dance with a theater minor.
At 17 years old, Ricky graduated and picked up and moved to New York City, auditioning and continuing to hone his skills at the Broadway Dance Center and with a vocal and acting coach. Within a year, he booked his first job, joining the cast of a European touring production of Grease.
After nearly a year on that tour, he continued to get jobs in National Broadway touring productions such as Fosse, Cats, and as part of the original cast of the Los Vegas production of We Will Rock You. At this point, Ricky began to focus more on choreography and directing.
Since then, Ricky has worked as an Assistant Choreographer and/or Director on numerous musical productions on London’s West End and Broadway. Spending time in London inspired Ricky and his partner to move there for three years, only returning to live in Las Vegas in the US in January 2026.
Among Ricky’s favorite projects was his first Assistant Choreographer position for Newsies on Broadway. “The movie version of Newsies meant everything to me growing up…to see boys like me dancing on the screen,” he shared.
Ricky also loved working as Assistant Choreographer on Come From Away. “It’s a special show and it was exciting working with the cast who were not dancers to create a whole new vocabulary for movement.” You can see (and laugh with) the cast reflecting on their dance journey in this award-winning Gypsy of the Year video.
As an audience member, Ricky loves all genres of dance, but while creating choreography, he loves styles like Jerome Robbins, Michael Bennett, Bob Fosse, and his mentor – Andy Blankenbuehler. He especially loves to work on shows that require him to inundate himself with the specificity of its themes.
Ricky worked with dance students and musical theater students for 6 choreography session each. He shared fancy footwork and provided style and material. These pieces will be performed at the Spring Dance Festival in May.
“The students worked hard,” Ricky reflects. “I am incredibly impressed by their discipline and focus, their commitment to wanting to achieve excellence. Seeing their passion reminded me of mine. It was very fulfilling.”
L’aura Bagdzuinas shared, “We are so thankful to have had Ricky here. He really pushed our dancers to work at a professional level, giving them the opportunity to experience a fast-paced rehearsal process similar to what they might encounter in the professional dance world. It was an incredibly valuable experience for them, and we cannot wait for everyone to see the pieces at the Spring Dance Festival on May 14. We would also like to acknowledge assistant Haley Mitchell, who came in to support Ricky. While Haley is not a graduate of LIHSA, she spent many years here performing in her end-of-year recitals while training, and she is also a recent graduate of NYU Tisch with a BFA in Dance.”
Ricky offers this advice for aspiring performers, “Keep reaching for the stars. Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it. Find your dream and do it. And surround yourself with people who will help you get there.”
Thank you, Ricky, for inspiring our students and being among the people who are helping them make their dreams come true! (Keep scrolling for photos).
