We recently connected with Gisele Silva and have shared our conversation below.

Gisele, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

For me personally the biggest challenge it’s being a foreigner.

You need the big and relevant jobs but the type of visa I have, O1, is not always accepted.
So you need to have a green card or be an American citizen, but one of the requirements for foreigners to get a green card is to do big and relevant jobs. In other words, the math is not matching.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Gisele Silva is a performing artist, instructor and choreographer hailing from São Paulo, Brazil. As a Brazilian native, Ms. Silva has forged her path in the United States and made a name for herself as a leader in the global tap dance community. A member of hit female tap dance sensations Chloe Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies, she has been gracing stages all over the U.S. Her work with Syncopated Ladies includes a national tour, and various performances including appearances at the Apollo Theater, Lincoln Center, Essence Festival,
BET Awards, CNN (New Year’s Eve program) and more.

In addition to her work with Syncopated Ladies, Ms. Silva is a founding member of the acclaimed New York based tap company Music From The Sole, the brainchild of fellow Brazilian dancer, Leonardo Sandoval. She has performed at many prestigious venues including the New York City Center, Guggenheim, Jacob’s Pillow, Harlem Stage and The Joyce Theater. Due to her extensive work as a premier tap dancer, Gisele was selected as an ambassador for Brazilian based dance wear brand, So Dança.

As a teaching artist, Gisele has taught for numerous tap festivals and conventions all over the world. She is a current faculty member on Turn it Up Dance Competition and Shake the Ground. She also teaches for after school programs in her home base city of Los Angeles, CA.

Beyond tap dance, Gisele is an accomplished Jazz and modern dancer. She is a member of the Afro-Brazilian Dance Company Viver Brazil, where she serves as both a performer and teaching artist. Some of her commercial credits include ScHoolboy Q and Travis Scott’s music video “Chopstix”, DanceOn channel on YouTube, The Jones Project, Rock in Rio and more. You can also see Gisele in the Apple TV+ musical film, “Spirited” starring Will Ferrel, Ryan Reynolds and Octavia Spencer.

This upcoming holiday season, Gisele will join the cast of Dorrance Dance’s production, “Nutcracker Suite” choreographed and conceptualized by tap dance phenom and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, Michelle Dorrance. Gisele will be performing the lead role of Clara.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Surely my courage, for many seemed crazy, to leave a stabilized life to experience the unknown, start from the beginning in a new country, without speaking English and at the age of 32. But I’ve always known what I wanted, I’m still not where I know I can get, but I’m happy with everything I’ve achieved. I believe that my story can inspire many black girls, especially immigrants, not to give up their dream.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I have the distinction of being Brazilian. I bring something new, rhythms that I grew up listening to. And tap dance being a black art form, this fusion enriches and intrigues people’s curiosity to know more about me and the work I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://giselesilva.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamgiselesilva/

Image Credits
1st photo – Christopher Duggan 2nd photo – Jamie Kraus