Ingrid Silva

We are excited to announce the recipient of the 2026-2027 NEXT commission, Ingrid Silva.

Bio

Ingrid Silva is a classically-trained ballet dancer and activist. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she began her training at Dançando Para Não Dançar, a social project in the Mangueira favela. She has performed with the Dance Theatre of Harlem for nearly two decades. Ingrid was the first Afro-Brazilian to be on the cover of Pointe Magazine and also appeared on the cover of Vogue Brasil. In 2025, she was invited to speak at the United Nations for International Women’s Day. She is the founder of @PodHer & co-founder of @blacksinballet and @dancersandmotherhood.

Silva has pushed for change in the dance world, most visibly in her campaign to expand pointe shoe options for dancers of color, a cause that ultimately moved major manufacturers to expand their offerings. Her hand-colored pointe shoes are now in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.