Ingrid Silva was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the age of 8, she began her ballet training at Dançando Para Não Dançar, a social project in the Mangueira slum. A few years later, she joined Escola de Dança Maria Olenewa and Centro de Movimento Débora Colker on a full scholarship. At 17, she was an apprentice with Grupo Corpo, one of Brazil’s most prestigious dance companies.
Following high school, Silva began studies at Centro Universitário da Cidade (UniverCidade) but soon moved to New York to attend the Dance Theatre of Harlem summer program in 2007 on a full scholarship. Soon after, she was invited to join the Dance Theatre of Harlem Professional Training Program and became a professional company member in 2013. She is currently in her seventh season with the company.
As a guest artist, Silva has performed with Dançando Para Não Dançar Company (Brazil), Armitage Gone! Dance (USA), and The Francesca Harper Project (USA). She performed Romeo & Juliet Balcony Pas de Deux by Kenneth MacMillan with Thiago Soares at the Thiago and Friends Gala in Brazil in 2019. She has worked with renowned choreographers, including Arthur Mitchell, Donald Byrd, John Alleyne, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Francesca Harper, Robert Garland, David Fernandez, Carol Armitage, Deborah Colker, and Rodrigo Pederneiras, among others.
As a member of Dance Theatre of Harlem, Silva has performed principal roles in Balanchine’s Glinka Pas de Trois, Agon, and Valse Fantaisie; Robert Garland’s Return; Ulysses Dove’s Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven; and John Alleyne’s Far But Close. Her soloist roles include Alvin Ailey’s The Lark Ascending, Donald Byrd’s Contested Space, Francesca Harper’s System, Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Vessels, and Dianne McIntyre’s Change. Other notable performances include Pas de Dix from Raymonda Act III, Gloria and New Bach by Robert Garland, The Joplin Dancers by Robert Garland, Swan Lake Pas de Quatre by Marius Petipa, Concerto in F by Arthur Mitchell, and Dougla Bride by Geoffrey Holder.
In **March 2025, Silva will join Pointeworks as part of its Season 2 NYC Tour, performing in a new creation by choreographer Gabriel Speiller at the Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater. This collaboration marks her continued dedication to expanding the landscape of ballet and contemporary dance.
Beyond the stage, Silva is a cultural ambassador, having participated in outreach initiatives in Jamaica, Honduras, and Israel. She performed at the Brazil Foundation Gala at Lincoln Center (2014) and was featured in the movie Maré, Nossa História de Amor by Lúcia Murat. She has appeared in major publications, including Vogue, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Allure, Refinery29, The New York Times, Huffington Post, Dance Magazine, People, Essence, ESPN Women, Bustle, Claudia, Health, BET, and O Globo.
She has made history in several ways:
First Afro-Brazilian dancer on the cover of Pointe Magazine (2017)
Hand-painted pointe shoes exhibited at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture (2020)
*Speaker at the Harvard University Latina Empowerment & Development Conference (2021), receiving the Latina Trailblazer Award
Forbes Brazil’s “20 Successful Women in Brazil” list (2021)
Silva is also a writer, activist, and entrepreneur. She founded PodHer in 2017, a platform that fosters personal growth, education, and dialogue. She is also the co-founder of Blacks in Ballet, which amplifies the stories of Black ballet dancers worldwide. In 2021, she published her bestselling book The Pointe Shoes That Changed My World in Brazil.
Her impact extends into fashion and advocacy:
Dior Vibe Ambassador (2022)—the first Brazilian to star in a major global campaign for Dior
Collaborations with Nike, Activia, Dove, AT&T, Facebook, and Animale Brasil
Speaker at the United Nations Social Good Summit (2018)
Silva continues to push boundaries, both in dance and beyond. Her upcoming performance with Pointeworks highlights her commitment to shaping the future of ballet through collaboration, representation, and artistry.