About

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 then attended The Ohio State University earning a BFA in Dance Performance & Choreography.

Sylvana Christopher wears a patterned dress outside at The National Arboretum.
Photo by Rob Cannon.

Sylvana traveled to Santiago de Cuba where she was able to interact with Cuban people and study Afro-Cuban folkloric dance with Cutumba Ballet Folklorico. After graduation, Sylvana taught at DC Dance Collective and apprenticed in Rincones & Company Dance Theater performing at The Kennedy Center with Youth Orchestra of The Americas and with DCPS students at The Lincoln Theater.

She joined Bowen McCauley Dance Company and became a Wolf Trap teaching artist modeling dance integration for educators of early learners. She performed with Arts United of Washington, BosmaDance, Mason Rhynes Performance Projects, and Contradiction Dance.

Together with Betsy Loikow and a 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.

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

In 2022, Vigorous Roots became a new outlet formed with her board members: Grace Cannon, Chynna Golding, David Dowling & Rachel Lawal. Vigorous Roots aims to usher in a new wave of dance opportunities for DMV dance artists and performers.

DeAunna Blackwell, Rae Grey, Chloe Richier, Deanna Woodman and Chynna Golding in Wormhole section of Resonance. Photo by Unifyed Visuals.

Sylvana appeared with Michelle Ava’s AVA Dance, Nancy Havlik’s Dance Performance Group and Cynthia Word’s Word Dance Theater gleaning much from these wise iconographic women of dance in the district.

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