Symara Sarai is an independent choreographer and dancer, and was named one of @dancemagazine's “25 to Watch” for 2025. Based in Brooklyn and working with Urban Bush Woman, she brings a rich international background to her practice. In her early years, Symara spent two years in Tobago, where she immersed herself in folk dance and contemporary forms. A scholarship later brought her to Beijing for another two years, expanding her training through both folk and classical Chinese dance.
Her work explores the relationship between text and movement, transforming material gathered from a day’s experience, a passing thought, or a dream into abstract compositions. Her performances often include room readings, streams of consciousness, and the activation of voice, turning sentences into songs. These approaches create an open-ended, non-literal form of expression. After collaborating on contact improvisation and text-based projects, she has shifted much of her focus toward solo practice and small group formats such as trios.
Symara teaches improvisation scores that weave together text and movement, inviting participants into the process without requiring formal contemporary dance training. Her classes are held in English, reflecting her commitment to accessibility and inclusion.