About
Sarah Stokes is an Atlanta-based choreographer, dancer, and dance educator. Sarah thrives on collaboration, exploring innovative and unconventional ways to craft movement in her practice.
Sarah studied contemporary and modern dance at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities where she graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in 2014. During her time at the University, she had the privilege of performing in works by esteemed choreographers, including Shapiro & Smith, Carl Flink, HIJACK, and Helen Tamiris (under the direction of Dianne McIntyre) as part of University Dance Theatre. Upon graduation, Sarah returned to her hometown of Atlanta, GA to pursue her dance profession performing, teaching, and choreographing.
In 2015 Sarah served as a Founder and Artistic Director of Atlanta Dance Collective (ADC) until its conclusion in 2022. During her tenure, she performed in works by Britt Fishel, Stewart/Owen Dance, Veronica Silk, and Mallory Baxley (Zoetic Dance) and collaborated to create numerous works herself on ADC artists, most notably IMPRINT (2019) and EXHALE (2021). In addition to her work with Atlanta Dance Collective, Sarah has had the great pleasure to perform with Poetica Dance and Bautantz Here. In 2023, Sarah collaborated on The Othering, a one-of-a-kind interactive dance theatre performance by Nadya Zeitlin of Bautanzt Here, performed at the Windmill Arts Center and selected for the MAD Festival in 2024.
Stokes’ choreography has been showcased at renowned events and platforms, such as Dance Canvas, Clayton State University’s Lecture Program, Atlanta Fringe Festival, Decatur Arts Festival, Decatur City Dance’s Emergence, Asheville Fringe Festival, and WAXworks in NYC, among others. Currently, Sarah is developing a new work, Tête-à-tête, set to premiere in January 2025.
In addition to her work with professional dancers, Sarah is a sought-after acro coach, instructor, and choreographer for young students. She holds multiple teacher certifications with Acrobatic Arts, Module 3 level teacher certification with Alexa Flexibility Method, in addition to routinely updating her teaching methods attending workshops and teacher training courses. Sarah hosts acro workshops and clinics at studios around Atlanta and is an instructor and Acro Director at Luma Dance and Acrobatics.