Submission declined on 25 March 2025 by Randompersonediting (talk). This submission's references do not show that the subject qualifies for a Wikipedia article—that is, they do not show significant coverage (not just passing mentions) about the subject in published, reliable, secondary sources that are independent of the subject (see the guidelines on the notability of people). Before any resubmission, additional references meeting these criteria should be added (see technical help and learn about mistakes to avoid when addressing this issue). If no additional references exist, the subject is not suitable for Wikipedia.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
| ![]() |
Sylvia Soumah (born July 31, 1963)[1] is an American dancer, choreographer, and educator, renowned for her contributions to African dance in the United States. She is the founder and artistic director of the Coyaba Dance Theater, based in Washington, D.C.[2] As a teaching artist, Soumah emphasizes the community and spirituality of African dance in both its traditional and contemporary styles, and uses performance and community engagement to foster a broader appreciation for West African cultures. She has performed extensively throughout the United States and internationally, including in Korea, Senegal, Guinea, and Guinea Bissau.
Early life
editBorn in Cincinnati and raised in a single-parent household, Soumah and her five siblings grew up in a housing project in the city’s predominantly Black West End neighborhood.[3] Her mother, Shirley Merritt, had her first child at 15 and left school in the 8th grade, but she worked hard to ensure all of her children graduated from high school. An avid social dancer, Merritt filled her family’s home with music. Soumah credits her mother for imparting an inherited passion for the arts.[4]
Soumah was introduced to formal dance instruction in the 7th grade by dancer and teaching artist Carla Perlo, then a student at the University of Cincinnati, who led a community program at a local recreation center. When she spotted Soumah and her friends hanging out nearby, Perlo invited the young teens to learn how to dance. The instruction also helped Soumah discover her talent for singing, which she enjoyed as much as dancing.[1] Later, Perlo encouraged Soumah to audition for the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, where Soumah studied dance and vocal music.[2]
“I could have ended up like a couple of my friends—their fate didn't turn out too well. But afterschool, we just danced and played together. We didn't do the typical stuff that other kids in our neighborhood was getting in trouble and doing. We somehow just instinctively knew: just focus on the dance and focus on the art," Soumah has said of her early dance instruction. "Dance is my life right now and probably will be ‘til the end. [Carla] was the one who inspired us all and taught us how to dance.”[1]
As a teen, Soumah performed with the Cincinnati Opera in productions such as Carmen, Show Boat, and Amahl and the Night Visitors, as well as musical theater productions including The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, and The Wiz at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. She later majored in early childhood education at the University of Cincinnati.[2]
Career
editFrom modern dance to West African training
editIn 1986, Soumah moved to Washington, D.C., to focus on modern dance under the direction of Perlo, who had also relocated to the nation’s capital to found Carla and Company, a modern dance troupe. There Soumah was introduced to a range of choreographers, including Lesa McLaughlin, Nancy Havlik, Debra Riley, and Alvin Mayes. During this time, she also performed with Improvisations Unlimited at the University of Maryland under the direction of Meriam Rosen.[5]
Practical necessity led to her conversion to African dance in 1990. After the birth of her son, Soumah resumed participation in modern dance classes and often had to bring her child along with her. By the time he was two years old, the toddler’s crying and restlessness disrupted the quiet and intensity necessary for modern dance training. After one class, a drummer suggested Soumah switch to African dance where her son could be better accommodated because, he told her, even a noisy toddler can’t compete with the sound of drumming. Her son’s acceptance into the class embodied what Soumah came to love about the style.[6][7]
“African [dance is] about community,” she said in an interview with Smithsonian magazine. "It's spiritual, it's about family and it's about culture. Modern ballet is a dance form. But African dance is a dance form and a culture. It’s a way of life."[6]
Soumah began her extensive study of West African dance in 1992 under the tutelage of Aidoo Holmes, founder and artistic director of Wose Dance Theater in Washington, D.C., where she not only learned African dance technique and solo performance but also developed additional skills in drumming and singing. This experience led her to study West African dance intensively in Guinea and Senegal, training with Les Ballets Africains and Bouly Sonko of the National Ballet of Senegal.
Coyaba Dance Theater
editIn 1997, Soumah founded Coyaba Dance Theater, which has since become a cornerstone of the African dance community in Washington, D.C. The company performs traditional and contemporary African dance and regularly collaborates with renowned musicians and dancers from West Africa. Coyaba has performed at major venues, including the Kennedy Center and Dance Place, and has toured internationally. In 2001 and again in 2004, Coyaba received the D.C. Dance Award for outstanding group performance.
Soumah has also collaborated with organizations and artists such as Step Afrika and Kingsman Island Festival in Washington, D.C., Usuthu Arts Productions in South Africa, Salamata in Ghana, and Jessica Phillips Silver (Finding Rhythm! The Journey Through The Musical Brain, 2020). She co-choreographed and performed with the What’s Going On touring company under the direction of Vincent Thomas.[8]
Educational work
editSoumah has been a dedicated dance educator, teaching at Dance Place and serving as a teaching artist with Inspired Child. She has led workshops at institutions such as the National Museum of African Art and Washington Performing Arts. She also trains young dancers in traditional African dance forms at the Coyaba Academy, where she emphasizes cultural heritage and artistic expression. She was also featured in the educational music video A to Z This is MY DC with Inspired Child.[9]
Awards and recognition
editIn 2013, the Council of the District of Columbia passed the Sylvia Soumah Recognition Resolution of 2013, honoring her for 16 years of leadership, dedicated service, and positive contributions to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area as the founder and artistic director of Coyaba Dance Theater.[10] Soumah received the 2014-2015 Pola Nirenska Award from Washington Performing Arts for outstanding contributions to the field of dance and education[11] and in 2020, she was the recipient of the Marcus Mosiah Garvey Outstanding Community Service Award.[12] Soumah was also honored with the 2024 Pola Nirenska Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to the field of dance and education.[13] She has received acclaim for her choreography, particularly her work Year of the Griot, which was praised by The Washington Post.
Personal life
editSoumah has two children: a son born in 1988 and a daughter born in 1996.[6][1]
- ^ a b c d "DC Public Library". DC Oral History Collaborative.
- ^ a b c "About". Coyaba Dance Theater. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ Sylvia Soumah: What's Going On | Sylvia Soumah, Cincinnati native and Founder, Artistic Director, and Choreographer of Coyaba Dance Theater in Washington, D.C., discusses her involvement... | By Contemporary Dance Theater | Facebook. Retrieved 2025-03-18 – via www.facebook.com.
- ^ "The Legacy Project | Dance Place". 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ hornbakelibrary (2025-02-10). "SCPA collection spotlight: Improvisations Unlimited records". Special Collections & University Archives. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
- ^ a b c Magazine, Smithsonian; Callard, Abby. "Sylvia Soumah: More Than Just Dance". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
- ^ Traiger, Lisa (2002-02-22). "Dancing Their Stories". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
- ^ "Sylvia Soumah | Kennedy Center". The Kennedy Center. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
- ^ "Sylvia Soumah, Teaching Artist". Inspired Child. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
- ^ Commernet, 2011. "4542139 ACR 20-88, "Sylvia Soumah Recognition Resolution of 2013", D.C. Register". District of Columbia. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Pola Nirenska Award". Washington Performing Arts. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
- ^ "Sylvia Soumah | Dance Place". 2025-01-30. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
- ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2025-03-20.