About + Contact

Sylvana Christopher is Guamanian American choreographer, performer and teacher passionate about creating community. She trained at Metropolitan Ballet Theatre and The Washington School of Ballet. She attended The Ohio State University earning a BFA with Honors in Dance Performance & Choreography.

Christopher traveled to Santiago de Cuba where she studied Afro-Cuban folkloric dance with Cutumba Ballet Folklorico. After graduation, she taught at DC Dance Collective and apprenticed with Rincones & Company Dance Theater. She performed at The Kennedy Center with The Youth Orchestra of The Americas and with DCPS students at The Lincoln Theater. Christopher joined Bowen McCauley Dance Company and became a Wolf Trap teaching artist modeling dance integration for educators of early learners. She also performed with Arts United of Washington, BosmaDance, Mason Rhynes Performance Projects, Contradiction Dance and Rebollar Dance. With Betsy Loikow and a small cohort of dancers, she co-founded Glade Dance Collective in 2009. Glade continues to serve as an outlet for choreographers and dancemakers in the District of Columbia. Christopher also danced in productions directed by Maida Withers, Michelle Ava, Nancy Havlik and Cynthia Word.

SylviDances formed in 2016 with driving force: Maggie Lockhart making space for other artists to present their works within 5by5, first presented at St. Columba’s Church then at Dance Place. Their hallmark work: Then She Fell, was inspired by myth of Icarus and created in collaboration with composer John Lee. SylviDance commissions include original works Who, Two by Joan Nicholas-Walker and F’OK by Sarah Beth Oppenheim.

In 2023, Vigorous Roots was founded by Sylvana Christopher, Chynna Golding and Rachel Lawal. Vigorous Roots aims to usher in a new wave of dance opportunities for DMV dance artists and performers.

Interested in choreographic commissions, private or group lessons, dance workshops or master classes, special events and community partnerships? Please email SylviDances@gmail.com

Let’s build something together!