Ingrid Silva's Dance in Motherhood and Art
Breaking ballet barriers, the maternal body on stage, and more
If you're on Instagram and follow any mother/artists you've likely come across ballet dancer Ingrid Silva's work. She is unabashed in displaying her mother body in dance, and she brings that body so vividly to the dance world, as well as to the art world in general.
I've been so impressed by the revolutionary form that she sits in — to be a pregnant and postpartum body on stage and on social media, one has to be a trailblazer.
It’s her eagerness to take up space in a way that has not been “allowed” before by the industry that I find inspiring. In today’s podcast episode, you can hear my excitement when I talk to Silva about what gives her an obviously indelible spark when it comes to dance and mothering. You can listen on Spotify and Apple.
A little bit of background: Ingrid Silva was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she began dancing at age eight, in a program that provided classical ballet training to young people who could not otherwise afford dance classes.
Throughout her childhood, Silva was inspired by Brazilian ballet dancers Mercedes Baptista and Ana Botafogo. Outside of Baptista, however, she had very few black Brazilian ballet dancers to idolize. Silva's passion for increased Afro-Brazilian visibility in ballet, combined with her mother's unwavering support, inspired Silva to become a role model of her own at a young age.
By the age of 17, Silva was an apprentice at Grupo Corpo, one of the most prestigious dance companies in Brazil. And in 2007, she was accepted into the Dance Theater of Harlem Summer Intensive Program in New York on a full scholarship. The following year, she joined the company's Community Engagement Project, Dancing Through Barriers.
In 2013, Silva joined the company full time, where she remains today. She felt affirmed by the Dance Theater of Harlem's celebration of African American culture through performance, community engagement, and arts education programs. Silva has held principal and soloist roles for renowned choreographers, including Arthur Mitchell, Donald Bird, Francesca Harper, and many others.
Speaking with Silva at her home in New York, it was such a delight to be able to hear her perspective on this incredible personal journey she's been on.
I know you all will really appreciate this conversation today — as you'll hear, the ways in which she has broken barriers is inspiring, not just for us here at the podcast, but also for young girls and women, as well as dancers and mothers everywhere.
Enjoy!
Recommended Reading
Season 3 guest Amy Bornman’s new book of poetry, Broken Waters, is available now! Her site describes the collection as “a bold and bewildered prayer, and a raw shout on the edge of new motherhood. ‘I think I want to be transformed.’” Buy it on Bookshop and Amazon.
Ingrid Silva is on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar, Brazil. The first Brazilian dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York discusses her new challenge as a choreographer. The photos are amazing. Silva was also on Brene Brown’s podcast, if you’re looking for even more listening.
And a reminder that my micro-interview newsletter series called Finding Art In Life goes out regularly every now and again (hoping twice a month)… Anyway, in last week’s newsletter, I talked to Italian photographer Lucia Dovere. She and I share a common inspiration in our art: the Virgin Mary. Read about it here.
One Charity To Know About: The NHSPCA
My daughter has been a camper at the NHSPCA children’s camp for going on three years now and I’m inspired by her commitment to animal welfare and kindness. This year, she’s told me stories of doves that have been adopted, a cat who lost its eye to illness who was treated by the caring vets, and the regular spaying and neutering the campus does to ensure there aren’t strays without homes. She would love for anyone who is willing to help donate to the NHSPCA to continue this incredibly important work: Donate here.