SIEDC was founded on creating collaborative spaces for social activism in dance by three young choreographers, Zoe Couloumbis, Fiona O’Brien, and Sebrena Williamson, who met while studying dance at Radford University. In the summer of 2018, the company came to fruition after a study abroad trip to South Korea where the three students were required to present original work as a company. The choreographers performed in the Songbum International Improvisation Festival, the Incheon International Dance Project sponsored by the Korean Dance Association, and were commissioned to create a piece for the Gangnam Gallery, designed by Jacob Park. The dancers were then invited back to Korea a second time to present for the Incheon International Contemporary Dance Festival, where Terra was presented originally as a stage performance. This collective is driven by work that exhibits multiple artistic mediums and research in association with social and environmental justice. With an increasingly hostile political environment, these choreographers feel called to express activism in the arts and give a voice to the unheard through movement and other artistic expression.

At its root, SIEDC is centered on collaboration. Because of their professional compatibility and complementing skill sets, the three performing artists were inspired and determined to set forth on this journey together. Aside from their connection through dance, they each possess their own separate passions that contribute to the company’s success. Within the company, O’Brien’s speciality is music business and arts administration; Couloumbis’ specialty is education and rehearsal direction; and Williamson’s specialty is research and outreach. In addition to their communal interest in choreography and performance, the three artists each contribute something special to the collective.

Not only has partnership and collaboration been successful as a business practice, but it stands as a priority for SIEDC’s vision. Within their professional careers, the members have found the dance world to be tailored to an aristocratic audience, as well as the discretion and genius of the choreographer as an individual. The collective plans to help redefine the nature of the professional dance world, and hopes to shift it away from abstract, individualistic aesthetics to concrete, group-oriented narratives. In theory, this would create more inclusivity in the dance world whereas exclusivity is the present norm. Essentially, SIEDC envisions an artistic environment led by a community of artists, each giving their own significant contributions-- rather than a hierarchy with one leading voice. This is a collective that will continue to grow and change as it aligns with the ever-changing field of arts, and the human experience itself.