Silvana Cardell

About Silvana Cardell

Silvana Cardell, a dancer, choreographer, and educator, has been awarded a 2022 Guggenheim Fellowship in Choreography. With roots in Argentina and the US, she has directed dance companies and developed programs in both countries. Cardell’s performances blend dance, theater, and visual arts, and draw inspiration from her personal experiences and cultural background. Her work often addresses social issues and challenges dominant cultural narratives.

Cardell’s performances have been showcased domestically and internationally since the late-90s. Her projects have received significant funding from prominent organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts, Pew Center for the Arts & Heritage, and the New England Foundation for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, and Mid Atlantic Foundation of the Arts. She is also committed to advancing dance in her communities, having founded several organizations, including EDA Escuela de Danza del Abasto, a three-year professional dance training program sponsored by Secretaria de Cultura de la Nacion in Argentina, and Sala Ana Itelman, a performance space sponsored by the Instituto Nacional del Teatro in Buenos Aires and Cardell Dance Studio in Philadelphia..

In Philadelphia, Cardell has collaborated extensively with Manfred Fishbeck at Group Motion Dance Company, Myra Bazell and Madison Mario at Scrap Performance, Merian Soto, theater director Blanka Zizka and created Cardell Dance Theater and Cardell Dance Studio. 

Since 2009 to 2022, she has served as the Director and Chair of the Department of Dance at Georgian Court University.