We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sidra Bell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sidra below.

Sidra, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I was pursuing my master’s degree as a young professional, the most invigorating moments were the creative processes that were uncomfortable. I knew that I was on the right path and at the cusp of a huge growth arc when I could feel that a new discovery was on the horizon. There was a feeling of going into an unknown and wading through the challenges of making a dance with a team of people. The feeling of transformation that I touched as a created new forms and shapes was thrilling. Being in the studio and working through the puzzles of the body was an exciting prospect. The idea that there is a new combination of ideas that I am unveiling is what keeps me going as a director.

Sidra, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Sidra Bell is the founder of Sidra Bell Dance New York and a dancer, choreographer, and educator. She has been an artist in residence at University of Oklahoma (Brackett Distinguished Visiting Artist Chair), Visiting Lecturer and Artist in Residence at Harvard University, and an Adjunct Professor Barnard College. Bell received a BA in History from Yale and an MFA in Choreography from Purchase College. She is the founder of the award winning MODULE Laboratory. Bell has won several awards, notably a First Prize for Choreography at the Solo Tanz Theater Festival in Stuttgart, Germany, a National Dance Project Production Award from NEFA and Creative Capital Wild Futures Award. In 2017 Mayor Thomas Roach named February 3 “Sidra Bell Day” in White Plains, NY. Her work has been seen throughout the United States and in Denmark, France, Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey, Slovenia, Sweden, Germany, China, Canada, Aruba, Korea, Brazil, and Greece. Bell has created over 100 works notably for Nevada Ballet Theater, Nashville Ballet, BODYTRAFFIC, Ailey II, The Juilliard School, Whim W’Him, Boston Conservatory at Berklee College, River North Dance Chicago, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Sacramento Ballet, Boulder Ballet, among many others. She was the first Black female commissioned to create work for New York City Ballet where she created works for film and the Lincoln Center stage (Fall Fashion Gala 2021). She was nominated for a Bessie NY Dance & Performance Dance (Outstanding Choreographer in 2022) for “SUSPENDED ANIMATION” for New York City Ballet. She was Bessie nominated again in 2023 as Outstanding Choreographer for the Gibney presented show “IN | REP: Introspection”.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

As a director my goal is to cultivate a collaborative space that cultivates many design languages within dance and theatrical forms. As a choreographer I create movement that allows for my performers to feel freedom of expression and agency. I want to create an artistic body of work that extends the language of dance into the future and emphasizes its importance to cultural and intellectual spaces for generations to come.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

As a dancer and choreographer I have received many blessings and also a lot of rejections. The best part about receiving a “no” is finding other creative strategies to get a project off of the ground. As a producer the most rewarding aspect is meeting challenges, working with what is available and moving my ideas into fruition. This only happens through teamwork and collaboration. The best part is the process, with its hills and valleys. Brainstorming with a team of creatives makes the end product more sweet.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sidrabelldanceny.org, www.sidrabell.com
• Instagram: sidrabelldancenewyork, sidraleighbell
• Facebook: sidra.bell, sidrabelldancenewyork
• Twitter: sidrabelldance
• Youtube: sidraleighbell

Image Credits
Umi Akiyoshi Photography (1st one) Philip Habib (4th one)