Payton Chopp is a Raleigh local with more than two decades of experience in ballet, contemporary and modern dance. Trained classically in ballet at Triangle Academy of Dance, much of her instruction comes from the expertise of Carolina Ballet principals and founding company members. A lifelong learner, she continues to further her dance education as a student in the Raleigh-Durham area. In her personal practice, she explores the idea of “process” in modern dance by integrating improvisation and play with her passion for technique. Payton is devoted to delivering thoughtful dance training to movers young and old and currently teaches ballet and modern across the Triangle. Payton is also a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she studied Psychology, Human Development & Family Studies, as well as Social & Economic Justice. She joined Black Box Dance Theatre in 2023.