About
Coyaba Dance Theater has celebrated over 25 years of portraying outstanding performances in Traditional West African dance and drumming. Coyaba is a 2001 and 2004 recipient of the DC. Dance Award for outstanding group performance.
-“Soumah has transmitted her zeal for the total experience of African dance – its uplifting essence as well as its form – to others in such a powerful and artful way.”
— Sarah Kaufman, The Washington Post
“Soumah has built a dance community that has held together for years...and with great resolve has made that community increasingly better and more beautiful.”
- P. Squires, Washington Post
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"Coyaba Dance Theater intrigues with pure, electrifying and theatrical portrayals of traditional rituals in West African Dance...Coyaba has a unique energy and stage presence that fills the audience with the spirit, color, texture and perseverance of the Motherland."
- The Dance View Times, Washington, DC Edition
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Coyaba Dance Theater brings the richness of African Dance traditions from Guinea, Mali and Senegal into the heart of Brookland!
-DC Thrifty Mom
Mission
The mission of Coyaba Dance Theater is to present traditional and contemporary West African dance and music focusing on the diverse ethnic groups and various humanitarian themes of West African culture.
Sylvia Soumah Founder/Artistic Director
​Sylvia Soumah’s formal training begin in Cincinnati, Ohio where she majored in Modern Dance and Vocal music with various modern, jazz and vocal instructors at the school for Creative and Performing Arts. In those early years Sylvia performed with the Cincinnati Opera in productions such as Carmen, Show Boat, Amahl and the Night Visitors, in Musical Theater productions such as The Music Man, Guys & Dolls, and “The Wiz” National Theater, Washington DC. Further studies in modern dance and creative movement led Ms. Soumah to expand her interest to Early Childhood Education at the University of Cincinnati.

In 1986 She moved to Washington DC to focus her skills in modern dance under the direction of Carla Perlo, Carla & Company, where she was exposed to many choreographers including: Lesa McLaughlin, Nancy Havlik, Debra Riley, and Alvin Mayes. During this time Sylvia Soumah also performed with Improvisation Unlimited at the University of Maryland under the direction of Mim Rosen. In 1992 she began her extensive study of West African Dance under the tutelage of Aidoo Holmes, Founder/Artistic Director of Wose Dance Theater, with this company Sylvia not only learned the importance of the African Dance technique and solo performance, she learned to drum and sing as well.
In 2015 she was awarded the Pola Nirenska Award for outstanding contributions to the field of dance and education.
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Sylvia has collaborated with Daniel Burkhoder (My Ocean is Never Blue), StepAfrika, Kingsman Island Festival (DC), Usuthu Arts Productions (South Africa), Salamata from Ghana, West Africa, Jessica Phillips Silver: Finding Rhythm! The Journey Through The Musical Brain (2020), Inspired Child educational:Music Video A to Z This is MY DC Music & Dance Video. Co-Choreographer/Performer with What’s Going On touring company under the direction of Vincent Thomas.
“Olokun Warrior,” choreographed by Sylvia Soumah, was a strong display of athleticism. The all-female cast effortlessly powered through a series of quick jumps, sweeping arm circles and deep lunges. The women moved so forcefully that when the dance ended with them collapsing on the floor, you felt like they had earned a rest.
- Sarah Halzack, Washington Post
