Sidra Bell is the founder of Sidra Bell Dance New York (EST 2001) and a dancer, choreographer, and educator who is currently a
Master Lecturer at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, an Adjunct Professor LINES Ballet/Dominican University and an
Adjunct Professor at Ball State University in Indiana. She has been an artist in residence at University of Oklahoma (Brackett
Distinguished Visiting Artist Chair), Harvard University, and an Adjunct Professor at Georgian Court University, Marymount
Manhattan College and Barnard College. Bell received a BA in History from Yale University and an MFA in Choreography from
Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. She is the founder and creative director of the award winning MODULE Laboratory, a New
York City based immersive platform for movement and theater artists. Bell has won several awards, notably a First Prize for
Choreography at the Solo Tanz Theater Festival in Stuttgart, Germany and a National Dance Project Production Award from the New
England Foundation for the Arts. 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, 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, New Dance Partners Kansas City, Ballet Austin, Springboard Danse Montréal, Boulder
Ballet and Alonzo King's LINES Ballet School, among many others. She was the first Black female choreographer commissioned to
create work for New York City Ballet where she created two works for film and the Lincoln Center stage (Fall Fashion Gala 2021
and Innovators & Icons Program). She has been nominated for a 2022 Bessie NY Dance & Performance Dance (Outstanding
Choreographer) for 2021’s SUSPENDED ANIMATION for New York City Ballet.
Photo Credit: Umi Akiyoshi Photography
