Hyattsville native Kendra McIntyre is featured as a dancer in the new film remake of “The Color Purple.”
A 2010 graduate of Northwestern High, McIntyre used to hold classes and workshops at Joe’s Movement Emporium in Mount Rainier as a dance educator, performed at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park and worked with Prince George’s County students before moving to Los Angeles
McIntyre, who studied dance at Temple University, also worked as a middle school dance teacher in Montgomery County prior to heading out West.
While supporting herself by offering private dance lessons and classes for adults and children, McIntyre — who goes by Kendra Marie professionally — has had roles in the film version of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical “In the Heights,” the Netflix musical “The Prom” and a commercial for Remy Martin.
In an interview, McIntyre said she and others were not told what the audition was for when they were invited to try out, and she was excited to learn it was for “The Color Purple” remake.
“The original film is such a staple in the Black community and also in my life,” she said, noting that she and her sister often imitated the iconic handshake in the movie.
Courtesy of Kendra McIntyre
She was cast as part of the “skeleton crew,” a group of dancers and choreographers that workshop how the dances will go and appears in the movie as well.
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