Sylvia Soumah

Sylvia Soumah is the founder and Artistic Director of Coyaba Dance Theater. She has studied, performed, and taught throughout the D.C. Metro area and abroad. She has studied in Conakry, Guinea with Les Ballets Africains, and Senegal under the direction of Bouly Sonko, Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Senegal. She also performs with Erika Thimey Dance Theater and Carla and Company. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, she moved to Washington, D.C. in 1985. Sylvia began her extensive study of West African Dance under the tutelage of Aidoo Holmes, Founder/Artistic Director of Wose Dance Theater, where she learned the importance of African Dance technique and solo performance, and how to drum and sing. Sylvia has collaborated with Daniel Burkhoder (My Ocean is Never Blue), StepAfrika, Kingsman Island Festival (DC), Usuthu Arts Productions (South Africa), Salamata from Ghana, West Africa, Jessica Phillips Silver: Finding Rhythm! The Journey Through The Musical Brain (2020), Inspired Child Educational Music Video: A to Z, This is MY DC. She was also a Co-Choreographer/Performer with What’s Going On touring company under the direction of Vincent Thomas.

Additionally, Sylvia Soumah is the Director of Dance Place’s African Dance Program. She also serves as Artistic Director and Griot of the DanceAfrica DC festival and has been since 2017 after the passing of the previous Griot Baba Chuck Davis in 2017. DC is one of the longest-running arms of this nationwide phenomenon, celebrating over 30 years of education, artistry, and advocacy for African culture in our nation’s capital.

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