Symara Sarai is an independent choreographer and dancer recognized as one of @dancemagazine’s “25 to Watch” for 2025. Based in Brooklyn and working with the company Urban Bush Woman.
In her early years, Symara journeyed to Tobago for two years, immersing herself in both folk dances and contemporary forms. Later, a scholarship took her to Beijing for another two years, where she expanded her repertoire by studying both folk and classical Chinese dance.
Symara’s work involves exploring the relationship to text—transforming material drawn from a day’s experience, a fleeting thought, or a dream into abstract compositions. Her performances are characterized by elements such as room readings, streams of consciousness, and the process of activating the voice to turn sentences into songs. These methods emphasize an open-ended, non-literal form of expression.
Having collaborated with other artists in contact improvisation and text-based projects, she has now shifted much of her focus to solo practice and small group formats, such as trios. Symara teaches improvisation scores that integrate text and movement, inviting participants to engage with the process without requiring any formal contemporary dance training. Her classes are conducted in English, underscoring her commitment to making her practice accessible and inclusive.
Link to my phd: https://actascenica.teak.fi/makinen-mirva
Link to my website: www.mirvamakinen.com
